Water Rate Increase Gets Final OK from L.A. City Council

A rate increase that is intended to pay for water quality projects was approved today by the Los Angeles City Council in an 8-4 vote.

The four dissenters were the same four council members who voted against the proposal last week — Jan Perry, Mitch Englander, Dennis Zine and Paul Koretz. Councilman Jose Huizar, Tom LaBonge and Bernard Parks were absent from the vote.

Right now, the Department of Water and Power’s average residential customer pays $40.30 per month for water. This is less than last year’s average monthly bill of $44.47 however, with this rate adjustment, monthly bills will increase to $45.91 in the next fiscal year.

Before voting against the proposal, Zine questioned the utility’s assertion that an average residential customer uses 1,200 cubic feet of water per month, noting that he uses 1,500 cubic feet of water even though he lives alone. A DWP rep reported that 51.8 percent of customers use the average amount or less.