After flat water rates for three years, residents in South
County will see their bills increase for the 2011-12 fiscal year.
On Tuesday, the Santa Clara Valley Water District board of
directors approved a 3.6 percent increase 7-0.
Directors approve water rate increase
After flat water rates for three years, residents in South County will see their bills increase for the 2011-12 fiscal year. On Tuesday, the Santa Clara Valley Water District board of directors approved a 3.6 percent increase 7-0.
According to the district, the average household in South County would experience a monthly increase of 34 cents or about 1 cent per day. Water used for agriculture purposes is also increasing by 3.6 percent to $17.10 per acre foot from $16.50. One acre foot is enough water to supply a family of five for one year.
Based on the district’s projections, South County’s rates will increase 18 percent over the next five years.
The water district provides water supply and flood protection to Santa Clara County’s 1.8 million people. The government agency employs about 750 people and manages an annual budget of $312 million.
New area code coming to Bay Area
It was between making a portion of Santa Clara County change its area code, or forcing newcomers to sign up for phone service to use the new 669 area code.
The Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors chose the latter at its board meeting Tuesday, voting 4-1 with Supervisor Liz Kniss dissenting. Called the “overlay method,” the change will not require businesses or individuals in the county to change their existing number from the 408 area code. The decision was simply a recommendation to the California Public Utilities Commission, which will implement the decided-upon method in the next six months to a year.
The county’s chief operating officer Gary Graves said the overlay method – a new layer of 669 users veils the county – is preferred by most affected parties over a geographic split.
A new area code was needed for the county because 408 phone numbers have been exhausted.
