CALIFORNIA WATER COALITION
ADDED 11/16/17 - WRATES has been in contact with another California based organization dedicated to ending outrageously high water prices charged by state-sanctioned monopoly water companies. We have joined forces seeking legislative action to reform the California Public Utility Commission (CPUC) practices for approving rate increases.
WRATES and the Lancaster-based California Coalition to End Water Rates Abuse are communicating and cooperating to generate grassroots, non-partisan legislation to enact reforms statewide.
You can visit their website at the link below for sharing news, information and outreach to other allies in the loose coalition of first-among-equals sharing a common problem.
WRATES and the Lancaster-based California Coalition to End Water Rates Abuse are communicating and cooperating to generate grassroots, non-partisan legislation to enact reforms statewide.
You can visit their website at the link below for sharing news, information and outreach to other allies in the loose coalition of first-among-equals sharing a common problem.
There are roughly 1 million residents affected by SJWC’s unsustainable rate increases. There is a total of approximately 6 million residents throughout California that are affected by unsustainable rate increases by other Investor-Owned utilities. The CPUC regulates 113 Investor-Owned Utilities, servicing 18% of the state residents, with 95% of that number being served by 9 large water utilities, each serving 10,000 or more connections, with annual revenues of $1.4 Billion. These investor-owned, for-profit water utilities charge water customer rates that are often three to five times higher than those charged by publicly-owned utilities, often directly adjacent to privately-owned systems. SJWC is the largest single district Investor-Owned Utility with over 229,000 connections.
EXCITING PROGRESS
Link to Water Warriors Antelope Valley Update - Nov. 30, 2017 - Memo to Water Monopolies - We finished off the Thanksgiving turkey. Now we're going to cook you goose.
Link to Antelope Valley Press, Mayor Parris: Screw Water Agency article - Mayor R. Rex Parris wants to bring the hammer down on investor-owned, for-profit San Jose-based California Water Service Company, whose Lancaster customers saw their water bills increase more than 215% over the past 12 years.
Link to Nov. 14, 2017 Lancaster City Council meeting - Water Rates, CPUC, Cal-Water, SJWC, Coalition, and Resolution to Take Action. (Start viewing at minute 19.)
Link to Senator Wilk and Lackey issue formal inquiry into Cal Water rates in Antelope Valley, November 13, 2017 - Senator Scott Wilk, R-Antelope Valley, and Assemblyman Tom Lackey, R-Palmdale, today issued a formal letter of inquiry to the California Public Utilities Commission – the state agency responsible for setting utility rates throughout California – regarding rates and fees charged by Cal Water for its approximately 1,100 water connections in the Antelope Valley region.
(WRATES members have had meetings, phone calls, and emails with Senator Jim Beall and Assemblyman Evan Low. Neither of them have shown any interest in getting involved with their constituents regarding the water rate crisis.)
(Letter to the Editor – Antelope Valley Press, Sunday, Oct. 29, 2017) - Coalition to Reform Private Water Rates & Regulation - Cal Water Company Needs To Go Away
(Wouldn't it be refreshing if the Mercury News would print articles and our letters to the editor that are critical of SJWC?)
Link to Water Warriors Antelope Valley Update - Nov. 30, 2017 - Memo to Water Monopolies - We finished off the Thanksgiving turkey. Now we're going to cook you goose.
Link to Antelope Valley Press, Mayor Parris: Screw Water Agency article - Mayor R. Rex Parris wants to bring the hammer down on investor-owned, for-profit San Jose-based California Water Service Company, whose Lancaster customers saw their water bills increase more than 215% over the past 12 years.
Link to Nov. 14, 2017 Lancaster City Council meeting - Water Rates, CPUC, Cal-Water, SJWC, Coalition, and Resolution to Take Action. (Start viewing at minute 19.)
Link to Senator Wilk and Lackey issue formal inquiry into Cal Water rates in Antelope Valley, November 13, 2017 - Senator Scott Wilk, R-Antelope Valley, and Assemblyman Tom Lackey, R-Palmdale, today issued a formal letter of inquiry to the California Public Utilities Commission – the state agency responsible for setting utility rates throughout California – regarding rates and fees charged by Cal Water for its approximately 1,100 water connections in the Antelope Valley region.
(WRATES members have had meetings, phone calls, and emails with Senator Jim Beall and Assemblyman Evan Low. Neither of them have shown any interest in getting involved with their constituents regarding the water rate crisis.)
(Letter to the Editor – Antelope Valley Press, Sunday, Oct. 29, 2017) - Coalition to Reform Private Water Rates & Regulation - Cal Water Company Needs To Go Away
(Wouldn't it be refreshing if the Mercury News would print articles and our letters to the editor that are critical of SJWC?)