Nov. 6--Colusa residents are praying for rain.

Some said that will be the only way lawns, shrubs and trees will get any water until city officials reconsider a new rate that's fair to everyone.

Residents just got their first sewer bills in the mail this week that reflects the new rate approved by the City Council on Sept. 1.

They were shocked.

The new rate, which took effect Oct. 1, was based on the amount of water residents use, rather than the impact they have on the sewer.

"We are being hammered for a bad decision," said Gordon Wylie. "I've always tried to maintain my yard, but I can't pay that much for water for two people. My bill was $211. That is $105.50 per person."

Wylie was just one of many angry residents to converge on City Hall Tuesday thinking their bills must be some kind of mistake.

"I'm being charged $279.90 to flush my toilet," said Jeff Chambers. "I being for charged for water I can't cook with and water I can't use to brush my teeth because it makes me gag."

During Tuesday's City Council meeting, residents said being charged for water that had no impact on the sewer was not fair because it did not take into account the number of people using the sewer system.

"My bill was $279 for three people," said Julie Biggs. "My neighbor's bill was $75 for nine people."

Because the matter was not on the agenda, city officials couldn't respond to residents complaining about the sewer bills, other than to say the city will look at a new rate structure at its next meeting.

The city had already been told by the State Water Resources Control Board, in a letter dated Sept. 21, that the new rate structure "did not provide fair and equitable rates for all residential user of the sewer system."

"The disparity in dry and wet weather rates will be more disproportionate for residents with larger lot sizes that require more water consumption for irrigation," stated Kathryn Bare, water resources control engineer, in her letter.

Bare suggested a better alternative to the rate structure would be to use winter water readings or to continue to charge residents a flat rate that covers fixed and variable costs.

At an earlier public hearing, city officials said a flat rate could not be implemented because of a water conservation requirement of the loan, but that they would consider a new rate structure based on the average water usage for December, January and February.

The City Council couldn't address requests from residents for a refund, but invited them to return Nov. 17 when the matter was on the agenda for discussion.

-----

To see more of the Colusa County Sun-Herald or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to www.colusa-sun-herald.com/.

Copyright (c) 2009, Colusa County Sun-Herald, Colousa, Calif.

Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services.

For reprints, email tmsreprints@permissionsgroup.com, call 800-374-7985 or 847-635-6550, send a fax to 847-635-6968, or write to The Permissions Group Inc., 1247 Milwaukee Ave., Suite 303, Glenview, IL 60025, USA.

A service of YellowBrix, Inc.