U.S. Bureau of Reclamation ANNOUNCES INITIAL 2024 WATER SUPPLY ALLOCATION

On February 21, 2024, the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation announced the initial 2024 water supply allocation for the Central Valley Project (CVP) Contractors for the Water Year that begins on March 1, 2024.  Water supply allocations are based on an estimate of water available for delivery to CVP water users and reflect current reservoir storage, precipitation, and snowpack in the Sierra Nevada.  “The wet hydrologic conditions we experienced during the 2023 water year left most of our reservoirs in good shape as we progressed to the 2024 water year,” said California-Great Basin Regional Director Karl Stock.  Municipal and industrial water service and repayment contractors North-of-Delta are allocated 100% of their contract supply.  Irrigation water service and repayment contractors North-of-Delta are allocated 75% of their contract supply.

 https://www.usbr.gov/newsroom/news-release/4743

The initial CVP Allocation is great news for Bella Vista Water District, its customers and all North and in-Delta CVP Contractors.  The current allocation will allow the District to provide unconstrained supply to both Municipal and Agricultural customers in Water Year 2024. 

RULEMAKING UNDERWAY TO “MAKE CONSERVATION A CALIFORNIA WAY OF LIFE”

The State Water Resources Control Board is scheduled to release new regulations that will impose severe restrictions on water use every year regardless of water supply on all urban water providers.  The proposed water-use efficiency regulations, dubbed “Making Conservation a California Way of Life,” require more than 400 urban water suppliers throughout the state to adopt water-use budgets and meet locally tailored conservation goals.  The nonpartisan Legislative Analyst’s Office said in its report that the regulations, as proposed by the State Water Resources Control Board, would create challenges for water suppliers, “in many cases without compelling justifications.”  The report says the proposed rules are “unnecessarily complex,” would bring significant costs and could disproportionately affect lower-income residents.  “Whether the benefits of the new rules ultimately will outweigh the costs is unclear,” the report says.  For additional information see: 

https://www.waterboards.ca.gov/conservation/regs/docs/conservation-a-way-of-life.pdf

https://www.lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4823

DISTRICT PROJECTS

As the District approaches its 60-year construction anniversary, required maintenance and replacement projects become more significant.  Presently, the District has a service area of 53 square miles and serves a population of approximately 20,000 people through 6,400 metered connections.  Important elements of the District’s maintenance and replacement planning include pipeline replacements.  In 2023, the District completed the replacement of 2,600 feet of 8-inch pipe in Moody Creek Drive.  Additional water mains are being prioritized for replacement in future years to ensure water service reliability.

3MG Water Storage Tank – The engineering and design for a new 3-million-gallon water storage reservoir and pump station has been completed.  The project would facilitate conjunctive use of groundwater and will improve the operational management of groundwater and surface water supplies.  The project will also provide emergency water supplies and improve water supply reliability and drought mitigation.  The District has received a $2,000,000 matching grant award through the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation’s WaterSMART Drought Resiliency Program for the project.  Bidding and construction plans are currently pending financing considerations due to anticipated construction costs.

NOTICE OF REVISED 2024 RATES

Each year the District reviews and adjusts rates based on the previously completed Cost of Service Rate Study.  Increases or decreases in the wholesale cost of water purchased from the Central Valley Project (CVP) are directly “passed through” to customers.  Additionally, the District annually adjusts the remaining costs components by the Consumer Price Index (CPI-U) plus up to 2% as a contingency for higher increases in chemicals, power, and other District expenses.  The adopted rates reflect the increased CVP rates and the CPI-U adjustment plus 2% and become effective May 1, 2024.

SCHEDULE OF BIMONTHLY WATER RATES

RESIDENTIAL, RURAL, COMMERCIAL, PUBLIC INSTITUTIONAL AND LANDSCAPE IRRIGATION

Meter Class                                                                   Base Rates

                                20                                                                             $ 49.48

                                30                                                                             $ 52.93

                                50                                                                             $ 58.38

                              100                                                                             $ 68.41

                              160                                                                             $ 77.47

                              200                                                                             $ 82.59

                              300                                                                             $ 93.48

                              450                                                                           $ 106.80

                              900                                                                           $ 136.88

                            1200                                                                           $ 152.77

                            1500                                                                           $ 166.77

                            2000                                                                           $ 187.28

                            2500                                                                           $ 205.36

                            3300                                                                           $ 230.84

                            4500                                                                           $ 263.84

                            6000                                                                           $ 299.36

The commodity rate is $0.81 per HCF (One hundred cubic feet) or 748 gallons

Water Treatment Plant Improvement Loan Repayment - $14.00 bimonthly charge for all customers.

Fire Service Rates

Line Size                                                                        Base Rate

                                  2                                                                           $   29.10

                                  3                                                                           $   41.15

                                  4                                                                           $   61.74

                                  6                                                                           $   87.30

                                  8                                                                           $ 112.70

                                10                                                                           $ 145.50