Alameda County Water District's Rate Increases Executive Summary For most people, water comes out when they turn on a

Conclusions 1

• CL1
  When rates need to rise to support higher labor costs, ACWD should make the case on its merits rather than embed these costs under the water supply categorization. ACWD must explain to the public the need to retain quality employees for safety and continuity of care with the district's precious water supply. The Grand Jury appreciates that ACWD continues to provide a reliable supply of high quality drinking water to its customers, and thanks the district for its cooperation with this investigation. We acknowledge that the business of running a public utility requires specialized knowledge that is not always easily communicated to ratepayers. Nevertheless, board members are elected to be stewards of this process and stewards of the finances involved. They have a duty to ensure that citizens are paying a fair and equitable price for their water. When rates can be raised through a simple vote of a five-member board, the decision can appear to be out of the public's control. The public deserves assurances from the board that their hard-earned money is being spent as efficiently as possible. While the 230 ACWD employees are entitled to competitive salaries with good benefits, the public deserves assurance that the board is sensitive to the impact of employee costs on rates, and that it negotiates labor contracts in good faith on behalf of the ratepayers who have limited powers to protest a rate increase.

Agency Responses 3

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No Responses Found 1

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