The owner of Tahoe Swiss Village Water company recently sent out announcements that users could be looking at a 40% rate increase. Forty per cent, or as it translates to dollars and cents, almost $400/year increase. Locals already pay some of the highest rates in the civilized world, despite sitting adjacent to one of the largest fresh water lakes in the world. His answer to ?'s about this: he is entitled by state law to have a reasonable return on his private investment.
Does the state PUC actually review his documents as submitted? Someone does, who is "looking out" for rate payers. His argument is such that all expenses are billed to users, in various ways. In this case, he feels that rate increases are justified by the amount of long term costs and depreciation of assets.
These rates are unsustainable, and alternatives must be put in place before residents have to truck in their own water. Average usage for local residents amounts to 40 gals/day. This figure, supplied by the company indicates locals have one of the lowest usage amounts anywhere.
The owner's explanation is based on a need for storage tank maintenance, telemetry replacement for monitoring, and security fencing to thwart the local graffiti activists who spray their tags on the tank sides. A real problem? or just a problem? Time will tell as locals write opposition letters to the increased rates being discussed. Year around residents may be in for another "user" tax.
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