SAN DIEGO — If you are still watering your lawn or taking long showers, you might want to start practicing how to cut back on your water usage because come next year, water bills could go up.
“I don’t like it and I don't feel good about it,” said Ron Aguila, a Kearny Mesa resident who was shopping for house supplies.
The potential water rate increase comes after the San Diego County water authority, San Diego's supplier of water, increased its rates by about 5% for treated water and nearly 4% for untreated water.
With that going on it means if their rates go up, so does our water bill.
“Our water rates are going up, driven largely actually by the Metropolitan water district, who we buy a good portion of our water. Their rates increased by 5 percent,” said Lisa Marie, who works for the San Diego County Water Authority.
The water authority told CBS 8 that part of the reason is inflation, the other is increased energy costs and rate hikes at every level.
Which is why the city of San Diego has unanimously voted to set a public hearing to discuss the potential of a 3% water rate hike. However, locals have witnessed their water bills at an all time high.
One resident told CBS 8 that they are paying almost $600 and $700 for two months.
Over the phone, a spokesperson for the Public Utilities Department told CBS 8 that neighbors can soon receive a notice at their doorstep about the public hearing, that public hearing can determine what could happen next year.
Meanwhile, the water authority advises that you take extra measures to minimize water consumption and add that for low income families there are resources.
If there are any low income families looking for assistance through the state of California, you can visit here.
If this rate hike is approved, it will be the second rate hike in about a year.
Last fall, the city approved a 3% hike to cover an increase like this from the water authority. The first hike took effect at the beginning of this year.
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