Update on Denver Water Board's Proposal to Increase Irrigation Water Rates for Single Family HOA's
In our December 26, 2006 blog post we wrote about the proposed plan on the part of the Denver Water Board to significantly increase irrigation water rates for single family homeowner associations. It now seems the Water Commissioners are taking another look at this. Click here to view a presentation made by staff to the Commissioners on the 24th. Page 3 lists the options discussed. The following is a summary of the highlights of the workshop as offered by Marie Bassett a staff member for the Denver Water Board.
The Commissioners were not unanimous in their preference. The direction staff received was that the Board would prefer one of the seasonal rate designs as opposed to the “no change” or “uniform flat rate”. As this is a draft staff will again check all the math. All three rate options (uniform, design #1 and design #2) are revenue neutral. Each will theoretically raise the same amount of revenue, but all will generate less revenue than the 2007 rates previously announced for the irrigation taps.
The last page gives typical examples. What the table does not include is the annual bill that the same HOA usage would have paid at 2006 rates. All 2007 proposals will generate more revenue than would have been paid by the same accounts in 2006 rates.
The Board will consider a specific proposal at their meeting on February 14. The proposal will be available on February 9. Any member of the public may submit comments to the Board. General comments should be submitted prior to February 7 so the Board will have time to read them as they study the proposal. Comments should be submitted directly to Marie Bassett. The public is also welcome to speak at the Board meeting. The Board will take comments on any agenda item. The meeting will be held at the Water Board headquarters located at 1600 W. 12th Avenue, Denver, CO 80204.
If you would like to meet with staff to discuss this proposal or any other issues, they would be glad to do so. Marie Bassett’s telephone number is 303-628-6656 and her email is Marie.Bassett@denverwater.org.
Keep in mind that every community that has ever raised their water rates has seen a reduction of revenue due to the consumer taking steps to reduce consumption. Revenues drop and rates rise again. It's a vicious stupid cycle that can be avoided by not listening to the advice given to the councils by their community planning boards etc.