March 6, 2019 – On Monday March 4, the Nevada Irrigation District (NID) initiated outreach to customers to inform them of proposed changes to treated and raw water service billing rates. A mailed notice has been sent to every property owner and tenant within the District, starting a 45-day public review process. Customers are encouraged to look for the notice in the coming days to be informed about the proposed rate change process.
The District intends to provide ample information for the public throughout the rate change process. In addition to the mailed notice, customers are encouraged to visit a dedicated public information web page at https://nidwater.com/water-rates-information/. The page provides rate change Frequently Asked Questions, details on the proposed rate schedules, and downloadable files of all rate change documents. NID has also prepared for increased customer service inquiries and has staff at-the-ready for customer calls and emails during business hours, Monday – Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
In addition, two community information meetings regarding the rate change proposal and process will be held for customers in both Nevada and Placer Counties. The dates, times and locations for these meetings will be announced in the coming week. Public dialogue about the rate change proposal will also be part of the Rate Adoption Public Hearing on April 24, 2019 at 1036 West Main Street, Grass Valley, CA 95945.
Water rate increases are being proposed based on the findings of the District’s Water Rate Cost of Service Study and recommendations from the District’s Water Rates Committee, a 10-member customer-based stakeholder engagement group. The Water Rate Cost of Service Study is a comprehensive analysis of the District’s water rates that addresses several key factors such as fairness and equity in rates, revenue sufficiency, and adequate funding of the District’s financial reserves.
“NID has worked on a promise to provide our customers throughout the foothills of Placer, Nevada, and Yuba Counties with a dependable and high-quality supply of drinking and irrigation water for nearly 100 years,” says NID General Manager Rem Scherzinger. “We are trying to keep rates as low as possible for customers by increasing our subsidy contribution to $49 million, primarily from hydroelectric revenues, over the next 5 years.”
There is a protest process for customers who are not in favor of the increased rates. Protests must be submitted in writing to the Nevada Irrigation District by or during the Rate Adoption Public Hearing on April 24, 2019. Full instructions on how to protest following Prop 218 requirements are provided at https://nidwater.com/water-rates-information/. If adopted by the Board on April 24, the new water rate schedules would go into effect starting May 1, 2019.
For questions or comments not addressed on the NID’s Water Rates web page, the District’s Customer Service Department can be reached at (530) 273-6185 or via email at customerservice@nidwater.com.