Customer Complaints Initiates Western Municipal Water District Investigation

1 There is a perceived lack of residential customer representation on WMWD’s Board of Directors.

1 No evidence was found that WMWD is deliberately hiding information from residential customers. 11

WMWD does not have a list of customer water rights. A “Customer Water Bill of Rights” provides a centralized location where customers can access information in a “Frequently Asked Questions” format. Examples of the types of information available on such list are as follows:33, 34 Customers have the right to: • Know what a “water right” is in California law. • Know what benefits they have based on their “water right.” • Safe, affordable, and reliable water that meets or exceeds mandated water quality standards. • Have a water quality complaint, water pressure concern, or water system leak promptly and thoroughly investigated and addressed. • Sufficient and readily available water to fight fire in any neighborhood or business area. • Prompt response to questions or concerns. • Clear, accurate, and reliable information. • Restoration of water service within 24 hours, when the cause for the shutoff (e.g., nonpayment) has been resolved. • An organization that complies with all laws and regulations. • An organization that operates by sound policies in the areas of governance, board conduct, district finances, and transparency.

WMWD’s governing policies, regulations, and ordinances are difficult to access and use. To be clear, WMWD does make their governing policies, regulations, and ordinances available to customers on its website. However, a customer needs to navigate through several sequential screens before getting to the information they seek. The Riverside County Civil Grand Jury found no evidence that WMWD is deliberately hiding information from residential customers. However, “hiding information” complaints will be minimized with a greater sensitivity to what residential customers want to have access to and making that information accessible to them. Complaint 2.2 WMWD Ignores Residential Customers As with all elected agencies, WMWD’s Board members and Executive Managers receive both positive and negative comments from those they serve. Board members and Executive Managers receive those comments directly during regular and special Board meetings, through correspondence, personal interactions with individuals, and in small group gatherings with residential customers. Board members also receive comments from residential customers indirectly through social media platforms and contacts with WMWD’s Customer Service Department. Residential customers who express negative comments toward WMWD express intense feelings of (a) being ignored, (b) anger over “not being listened to,” (c) there is a lot more communication now than in the past but “it isn’t effective,” (d) it is a monopoly and it can do as it pleases, and (e) Board members are more interested in making WMWD “look good,” rather than representing residents who voted them into office.35 The result is frustration with and mistrust of WMWD Board members and Executive Managers. The number of frustrated and mistrustful residential customers, out of the thousands of residential customers, is not known. It is clear from interviews, document reviews, and recordings of Board meetings, that WMWD’s emphasis on a “product-focused” culture and communication strategy does not alleviate the problems it has with disgruntled residential customers. FINDINGS Based on interviews, document reviews, video and audio recordings, and review of websites, the Grand Jury found the following: Governance Complaint Findings Finding 1.1 There is a perceived lack of residential customer representation on WMWD’s Board of Directors. Finding 1.2 WMWD’s budget-based rate structure complies with California’s Constitution, including Proposition 218, and it is designed to encourage water conservation. Finding 1.3 WMWD’s water and sewer rates are based on actual and projected costs incurred by WMWD. Whether the rates are fair or not is subjective. Finding 1.4 The procedure WMWD followed to increase residential customer water rates on June 2, 2021 is compliant with an August 2020 California Supreme Court decision. Finding 1.5 WMWD’s customers do pay more for water than RPU and EMWD customers due to costs actually incurred by WMWD to obtain and supply water to its customers. Finding 1.6 There is evidence that WMWD Executive Managers operate WMWD as required by California law and WMWD policies. Communication Complaint Findings Finding 2.1 No evidence was found that WMWD is deliberately hiding information from residential customers. Finding 2.2 Several residential customers feel ignored by Board members, especially by the four Board members, with few or no residential customers in their division areas.