Poway council adopts new water rates

San Diego Union-Tribune

Poway council adopts new water-rate scale

August 19, 2009

POWAY: New, controversial water rates that penalize large residential users via an escalating scale were approved last night by the Poway City Council.

About 100 residents from northern Poway, many of whom live on large lots and use much more water than the average resident, complained about the new rate structure at last night's council meeting. The council passed the ordinance 3-2, saying it was the best way to encourage conservation. Council members Carl Kruse and Betty Rexford voted “no.”

Opponents said the new rates are unfair to people who own large, heavily landscaped properties because they will have to pay substantially more for water, even if they cut back.

Poway is unique in the county because 10 percent of the residential customers use 40 percent of all the water in the city.

The top 5 percent use 25 percent of all the water.

The new rates will go into effect Sept. 1 and will rise again in the spring.

The council promised to keep looking at water rate issues and suggested that the situation could change next year.