I hope your summer is treating you well! I love the sunshine and wish I had more time to sit and soak it up with a good book.
Update to Tiered Water Rate Discussion
In my last email, I reviewed the tiered water rate discussion and the options that had been discussed up to that point. However, at the Provo City Council work meeting on June 3, two more options were presented. You can view all the options in this table.
A motion to support Option 3, a compromise worked out by several member of the Council, passed by a vote of 5 to 2. As you can see from the table, Option 3 introduced equal dollar increases across all tiers (+$0.72), resulting in a 3.3% revenue increase, instead of the recommended 5%. The highest volume users would have an approximately 9.9% increase, down from the originally proposed 18%.
Here is a table of what rates are currently. Provo will change to the new tiered rates in September.
After the vote, City staff was asked about the status of an exemption for urban farming/gardening. Gordon Haight, Public Works Director, confirmed that they were actively working on this issue and intended to bring it forward for adoption after the budget process concludes. I was very happy to hear this. I support tiered rates, but I am concerned about what these rate increases will mean for farmers or those on fixed incomes living in homes with large lots that require a lot of water. I am interested to see what this exemption will look like and who will be eligilble. I will keep you updated.
You can learn more about our water rates on the City’s Utilities page HERE. There is a water rate calculator that calculates what your water rates will be after the change.
Cottage meetings
I would love to see you at one of my cottage meetings! Hopefully, you can find one near you on my website. Please bring any questions, concerns, or issues you would like to discuss. If you can’t find one that’s convenient for you, please consider hosting. I would love the opportunity to discuss what’s important to you and your neighbors.
You can also reach out to me directly by responding to this email or calling or texting me at 801-669-6962. You can also contact me through my website.
The Primary Election is August 12th
The Primary election will be here in less than two months–on August 12th–, and ballots will be mailed out towards the end of July. If you have moved since you last voted, please update your address by clicking this link: https://vote.utah.gov/register-to-vote-or-update-your-voter-registration/. You can find all kinds of good voter information at vote.utahcounty.gov.
In Case You Missed It
You can watch my Provo mayoral announcment video by clicking HERE.
Jennifer McClurg says:
Tiered rates are punitive to those who have businesses (that hire employees and provide goods and services ) that use more water or those who have earned more income. That’s discrimination for being prosperous, essentially punishing prosperity. That’s wrong.
Marsha Judkins says:
Jennifer, thanks for your comment. I understand your frustration with the tiered water rates and would like to hear more about businesses that will see large rate increases. I have asked a lot of questions about this, myself. Increased water usage, especially during peak demand in summer months, not only puts additional strain on infrastructure, it also requires more costly infrastructure to keep water flowing during the spike in demand. These costs that are incurred by the highest water users are currently being subsidized by those who use less water (who don’t need extra infrastructure or put additional strain on the system during peak times). With the tiered rate system, higher water users will be paying more of the actual costs of their water usage and lower water users will not be subsidizing them. Another point is that the state has mandated a tiered system that will encourage water conservation. The City is hoping that this tiered system will encourage conservation. There are exemptions for residents with large gardens that contribute produce for their community. I would like to see additional agricultural exemptions. I also think the city should be participating in the Central Water District’s program to provide rebates/funding for residents who want to replace at least some of their lawn with water-wise landscaping. Additionally, government should be an example of water conservation.