The Price of Water

Effective July 1st, 2007, residents of San Luis Obispo will face a 13% increase in their water bills. This harsh increase follows a 12% increase that was imposed last year. The double-digit rise will be continued by another 13% next year. The city will continue to implement the water-rate increases through 2012, as a way to raise funds for the Nacimento Lake Water Project, and staff seven police and two fire positions. The Nacimento Lake Water Project is a 45-mile pipeline to bring water from the Nacimento Lake. Currently, there are 14,400 water bill payers in the city of San Luis Obispo. The approximate 11% who objected to the rate increase could not prevent the passing of the water-rate increase as 51% of the 14,400 water bill payers' signatures are needed.