Here’s another advantage to living in the Springs instead of the City of Sonoma – we pay less for water. With the exception of the small percentage of Springs’ residents who get their water directly from wells, we get our water delivered to us by the Valley of the Moon Water District, which charges lower rates than the City of Sonoma.
A 2014 annual cost comparison chart created by the North Marin Water District shows that the average single family home in the City of Sonoma paid $667 for its water, while the same type of household served by the VOM Water District paid an average of $513. The comparison is based on an annual household consumption of 107,600 gallons.
On June 2 the VOM Water District Board of Directors will hold a public hearing to consider a rate increase. The proposed increase is modest and the resulting bills for single-family households will still average less what households pay in the City of Sonoma. Based on the annual average monthly water use of 7,500 gallons, the monthly charge will increase by $3.50 from $36.30 to $39.80. (Note: We are actually billed every two months.)
People who are very efficient with their water use may see their water bills decrease with the new rate. If you use no more than 5,000 gallons a month, your monthly charge will decrease by $1.05 from $26.92 to $25.87. This is made possible because the water district is revamping its tier structure to add a fourth tier.
Currently there are three tiers. The higher the tier, the higher the charge for each billing unit. A billing unit is 1,000 gallons of water. The tier structure is designed to encourage conservation. The proposal to add a fourth tier also calls for the ranges in the number of billing units for each of tiers one through three to be reduced. So after the new rate and tier structure take affect, you may find your water use falls into a higher tier than previously even though your consumption hasn’t changed.
VOM Water District Dan Muelrath said the new tier structure is necessary “because of a shifting down in demands, a fourth tier was appropriate for cost allocations.”
He added that the district “has cost justifications that show the higher users create added costs to the district.”
Muelrath also explained the rate increase is necessary because of the rising costs to maintain and operate the water delivery system. Among them are increases in the amount the district has to pay for water from the Sonoma County Water Agency, increases in state permitting fees, and increases to replace aging infrastructure.
He pointed out that replacing old infrastructure is a priority because it “costs more to fix a catastrophic break in a water main than it is to replace it in advance.”
Usually one doesn’t want to be below an industry standard. But there’s a water industry standard of which the VOM Water District can be proud: it’s below the industry standard in water main breaks per 100 miles of pipeline.
I often refer to the VOM Water District as the most important agency we hear little about. Yet it provides Springs residents, as well as Glen Ellen, Temelec and surrounding areas, with one of our most important services. In total it serves approximately 23,000 people through more than 6,940 connections.
The district was formed in 1962 after a group of private mutual water companies was merged into a publicly managed water district. This occurred after a special election in 1960 when voters, by a nine-to-one margin, approved its formation and sale of general obligations bonds.
The water district is governed by an elected, five member Board of Directors. The longest serving director is Ed Kenny, who has been on the board since 1996. The next longest serving is Ron Prushko, a plumber, who has been on the board since 2000. The other directors are all much newer. Mark Heneveld joined the board in 2011. Jon Foreman, the current president, and Meghan Peddicord, the vice president, joined the board in 2012.
General Manager Dan Muelrath was hired two years ago. He came to Valley of the Moon from the City of Santa Rosa where he was the Water Resources and Sustainability Manager. His background is in water conservation and efficiency.
The June 2 meeting begins at 6:30 p.m. in the VOM Water District Board Room at 19039 Bay Street, El Verano.
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