Fight the Hike!

The Cambria Community Services District proposes Water and Sewer rate increases of 47 percent for water and 71 percent for sewer. The rate increases are needed to cover costs to operate the Emergency Water Project and attend to long-neglected infrastructure projects, such as replacing leaky water pipes and the rusty Stewart Street Water Tank.

The monthly charge for the EWP would rise from $6.50 to $8.15 in September, then to $8.94 in 2019 and $9.57 in July 2020.
Water rates would rise from $13.26 to $15.91 in September, $18.30 in 2019 and $19.22 in 2020.

Sewer rates would go up from $29.12 to $36.40 in September, $43./68 in 2019 and $49.80 in 2020.

The total is $138.96 per year for all three. In 2020, it will be $392.52 more than Cambrians currently pay, about $32 a month.

The CSD has ignored water and sewer system maintenance and upgrades in favor of constructing an expensive desalination plant to allow them to lift the Building Moratorium and add new residents. The Emergency Water Plant, which does not yet have a permit to operate and is under a Cease & Desist Order for violations, costs $1 million a year, even when it isn’t operating. It has not been operated since 2016. The district hopes to operate it later in 2017. A qualified person to operate it has not yet been hired (salary over $100,000 a year).

The district certainly needs money to replace leaky pipes and water tanks. However, it’s focus has not been on taking care of business. The board and staff have turned their attention to finding New Water so Cambria can expand. Sign this petition if you think Cambria should focus its money on needed improvements for the current residents, rather than an expensive project that shows little benefit for Cambria’s present population.