ACWD provides a wide range of explanations for the price increases including “the cost of rising prices for purchased water and other operating expenses.” These costs make up 25% and 26% of the rate hike respectively. Water from the Hetch Hetchy system is increasing 38.4% this year to pay for seismic upgrades. The ACWD is reducing the impact of the increase by switching to more local supplies of water. I suspect that other water districts reliant on the Hetch Hetchy are implementing similar measures. The next biggest expense is maintenance costs with constitute another 16% of the rate hike.

Note that while some of these cost increases seem temporary in nature, the ACWD is NOT communicating that any part of its rate hike is temporary.

Happy drinking!

The post Water rates go up again in the San Francisco Bay Area appeared first on Inflation Watch.

United Water, which serves the majority of Rockland County, is looking to raise rates for the average customer by about $119 a year.  The hike, equal to about 21 percent for most customers, would require approval from the state Public Service Commission.

In Houston:

Houston Mayor Bill White and several city council members sent strong signals Wednesday that the city is preparing to increase rates for water and sewer service.

In Santa Rosa, Calif.:

When Santa Rosa residents and business owners open their city utility bills in January, they’ll likely see an 8 percent increase in water rates and a 7 percent hike in sewer rates. And when they open those same bills in January 2011, they’ll see a second round of identical increases.

In Indianapolis:

Water customers in Indianapolis could see their bills increase by about $8 a month next summer under a rate hike proposed Wednesday by the city’s water utility. The increase would pay for such things as new disinfection systems — which are being required by the federal government to guard against viruses and pathogens — and creation of a backup water supply.

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If approved next spring, the increase would drive an average monthly water bill from the current $23.22 to $31.33 — a 35 percent jump — for residential customers using about 5,200 gallons per month.

In Chattanooga, Tenn.:

The amount an average Chattanooga homeowner pays in stormwater and water quality user fees could grow more than six times larger in five years if a proposal gets City Council approval.

“We have to commit more resources to the water quality program,” said Lee Norris, deputy administrator of the city’s Public Works Department. “Regulations have tightened considerably.”

Officials are expected to brief the City Council in detail on Tuesday about the plan, which would raise the fee for the average homeowner from $24 per year to about $163 per year over a five-year period, Mr. Norris said. The fee, which is included in city property tax bills, has not changed in more than 10 years.

In Augusta, Maine:

The Maine Public Utilities Commission has approved a 5.5 percent overall increase in water rates for Aqua Maine’s Camden and Rockland division, effective Sept. 15. This is less than the 7.28 percent the company requested.

In Norfolk County, Mass.:

Town water rates would jump 25 percent and sewer rates 20 percent this month under the Board of Water and Sewer Commissioners’ plan to make up a more than $725,000 expected deficit in the department’s new budget, which went into effect on July 1.

In Beaumont, Texas:

Beaumont residents are not going to be happy with a 7 percent increase on their water bills for the coming year, but this fee hike seems unavoidable.

In West Miami, Fla.:

West Miami homeowners will see a slight increase in their water and garbage collection bills as part of a $4.5 million budget the city commission tentatively approved on Tuesday. The commission voted 3-2 for a 15 percent water fee increase and a $120 garbage fee hike for the 2009-10 fiscal year that begins Oct. 1.

In Augusta, Maine:

The Maine Public Utilities Commission has approved a 5.5 percent overall increase in water rates for Aqua Maine’s Camden and Rockland division, effective Sept. 15. This is less than the 7.28 percent the company requested.

I could go on, but you get the point.

The post Thirsty? You’ll soon pay more for your tap water appeared first on Inflation Watch.