EBMUD Rate Hike Up for Vote on Tuesday

The directors of the East Bay Municipal Utility District are scheduled to vote on a plan Tuesday that would raise customers' water rates by approximately 12 percent over the next two years.

The meeting begins at 1:15 p.m. Tuesday at the district office's board room, 375 Eleventh St. in Oakland.

EBMUD General Manager Alexander Coate recommended the rate hike plan last month. The increase would come in two stages—6 percent in fiscal year 2012 and 6 percent in fiscal year 2013.

The new rates would take effect July 1.

If approved, the rate hike would increase the monthly water bill for a typical EBMUD household using 270 gallons a day from $38.66 to $43.45 over the next two years.

EBMUD officials said the hike is necessary because of the rising cost of gasoline and other materials used in their water delivery system. They also said customers have used less water the past three years, decreasing the district's water sale revenue by 15 percent.

They noted the district has frozen 200 positions the past several years, resulting in a savings of $20 million. The EBMUD employees' unions also agreed to a two-year moratorium on pay raises.

The rate hike plan is part of a $372 million budget for fiscal year 2012 and $395 million budget in fiscal year 2013. The current year's budget is $369 million.