Like many in this valley, I too cannot understand how and why Cal Water charges are so horrific. If I stand on my deck on my tiptoes, I can see where much of my water comes from. I do understand that it must be captured, treated, and pumped up to me, for which Cal Water does a fine job, but their costs are getting close to where I can hire some local kids with buckets to bring water up to me for less than Cal Water does. For the little bit I personally use, I can add a dash of chlorine, and for the rest of it, which mostly goes for landscaping and laundry, I don’t even have to do that. And now, arrogantly and boldly in a time of great recession, Cal Water wants to increase our rates another 35 percent, with the excuse that they have to replace some main lines somewhere. As I recall, infrastructure upgrades were also cited as one of the reasons for one of their many previous rate increases. A justification for another recent increase was to fund a loan for some water quality equipment, yet they have yet to tell us how much was being borrowed, when that loan might be paid, and when that particular increase might be rescinded. Don’t they put any money aside for anything? The next time they ask for an increase, I wonder if it might be for “replacing toilet paper in the employee restrooms.” It seems, after much public outcry, our legislators are looking into another public utility’s charging practices—Edison and their “smart meters.” Maybe it is time they take a look at Cal Water’s business practices. It seems we can expect no oversight from our Public Utilities Commission, so we, as Cal Water customers, must wake up and make waves before we drown in their overpriced water.

Robert Hyde

Kernville