EBMUD Vice President Katy Foulkes Warns of Impending Rate Increases
Water Conservation Reduces Revenue –
At the March 18 City Council meeting, Piedmont’s East Bay Municipal Utility District (EBMUD) representative, Katy Foulkes, made a verbal presentation. Foulkes, a former Piedmont mayor, noted that while water usage is down, EBMUD costs continue to grow. Updating pipes and facilities requires increased expenditures to maintain the high quality of water provided by the District.
Foulkes praised consumers for reducing water use and noted the slowdown in new customers. Reduced water usage and controlled growth have led to current users paying more for the water they use. She said EBMUD employees have had no salary increases for two years, but ongoing maintenance and improvements demand cost increases.
Following a public hearing the EBMUD Board will determine the rate increases. Without specifying an amount, Foulkes indicated increases would likely be more than a 5% increase. The increase will appear on bills submitted after July 1.
Comments can be sent to Foulkes at kfoulkes@ebmud.com.
