MAC: EBMUD Proposes

8 Percent Rate Hike Over Next Two Fiscal Years

continued from front page watershed- up to 325 million gallons per day.

EBMUD is currently in the process of developing a budget for the next two fiscal years, which will likely result in rate increases for customers. The utility cites aging infrastructure and increased operational costs as driving factors. According to the EBMUD, energy costs are up 48 percent, software prices have increased by 43 percent, and labor costs are up 15 percent.

The budget proposes an average of 8.5 percent rate increase over the next two fiscal years, which the utility says averages out to increases of 19 cents a day per single-family customers beginning this summer and another 21 cents per day next year. Wastewater rates would increase about 7 cents per day each of the next two years. As far as the actual cost to each consumer, that will depend on how much water customers use.

The EBMUD board will consider the budget in a public hearing on June 13, with rate changes possibly to be implemented as soon as July.