HomeMy WebLinkAbout0386.091, .
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September 19~ 1991
Honorable City Council
Palo Alto~ California
water ~ate Schedule
Kembers of the Council:
This report is in response to a recent editorial appearing in the
Palo Alto Weekly entitled "Correct in!!quities in school water
rates· ~ The editorial is factually incorrect and dra""s 1I'lisleadinq
conclusions.
In the lead paragraph the editorial states -•.• Palo Alto schools
~re paying a higher price for their ~ater than the city's
industrial users. .••. 'I'his state.:nent is incorrect. Palo Alto
schools pay for 'Water on the san-.e rate schedule as all other non
residential users in Palo Alto. The specific rate schedule is W-7;
it is the same schedule charged to industry. commercial, govern
ment, nonprofit corporations, etc.
All of our schedules, including the W-7 schedule, are designed to
promote efficient watE:r use by using a conserllation-oriented design
known as an inverted rate structure. An inverted rate charges the
customer proportionally more fer each additional gallon beyond a
base amount. This inverted feature applies te all custo~,ers in
exactly the same .... a:y. If we took the School District's actual
water consumption and billed it to one of O'.lr r"ajor industries that
had the same indoorJol.ltdoor ""ater use characteristics, or to ttle
City itself, tt.e amoun1:. of the bill .'ould be the same.
The editorial goes on to state that the City $taff attributes this
bigher payment by the schools te ••.. quirky. unintended conse
quences of the new rates ..• •. That state~ent is also erroneous.
There is nothing nquirky or unintended fl about sch~dule W-7 at all.
It operates exactly EllS it WC'lS designed. The !':lore ".rater one uses
under this sc'hedule, th~ Yi'.ore one pays per gallcn~ CJ.stomers, ... ho
Dlake a conscious decision to use proportionately more ,,"ater for
outdoor purpose:; than those customers "tho do not, 'Will necessarily
receive higher ~ater bills under this rate schedule.
CMR:386:91
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paqe Two
The editorial makes the valid point tha;t the School District
,,~~ ~has acres of athletic fields to mair.tain"~ As Council is
aware, all the rate schedules, including W-7, are designed to
discourage outdoor "'-;.,tering. This is consistent with state-.ide
-water policy. Individuals or corporations with lC!lrge O'..ltdoor
'Watering needs (many P.elo Alto industries have acres of landscaping
... ·hir.:h the City required as a condition of construction) h;,:ve the
choice of reducing .... atering ~r paying large arnoun'ts for the
privilege of maintaining t~eir landscaping. The Scbool District is
bound by the same pol icy ct.oice. The City itself is in e){actly
that poSition --~e have made the policy decision to severely cut
back on watering for median strips, parks, street trees and the
qolf course~ In some cases this has caused loss of l~ndscaping,
but we have tried to strike a balance between the desirability of
maintaining outdoor plant life and our need for 'Water conservation.
All uses residential, industrial, schools, corrunercial,
government --are in the sam~ position. The School District is not
heing ·penalized" (as the editorial alleges) fo~ outdoor water use;
it is being treated exactly the sarr.e as every other 'Water user in
the city.
In sUJr.mary, the editorial alleges that the School District is
" .•. paying a higher price for their ·.ater ... -and that they ~re
being subjacted to • •• ~a rate schedula which discriminates (against
them)-. Neither allegation has any validity.
Respectful~bmitt~d,
wkJ'0~ ci~~Ifnager
cc: Jim Bro~n, Superintende~t of Schools
Palo Alto unified School District
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Editorial
Correct inequities in
school water rates
The Palo Alto City Ccuncil .hoIJd correct an
Ullin/ended water-lise penalty I>eifl8 imposed
0;' the .chool distriel
The discover)' rhat hIo Alto iCOOoh aR" payins .. higher
price for their 'Iio'a~ dwI the cit)' '. induIIriaJ IQCrs has \ch
severa] City Cooocw membe.n q~ !he 1"It'oIo' drought
rate schedule !hat was lIpp10ved fast moot.h_
Described by [be city staff as just • qulrtl'. Wlict:enobJ coose
quence of me new ~. !he ~ of ~ t:bc school dis
trU."1 ~ld be pa)'IDg higher raIeS than !hose ')(the largest COin
panicS is DCVen:heI~ • w:rlow issue: thai: denIaod5 immedi.a.tc-ai
tC'ntXm and ct>J'1'&..-1l0n.
The: schoo~ rmd themselves i.:l • ~ positioa. according 10
city trw'iter officia.ls. because lflt,ir wa~ ~ !ike i:ncatstry "0 are
based on total wa!.er consump<ion duriDs !he willtc: months. For
iodustriall15eni, thaJ: approach doesll'l c:a~. hardship. since
5IJf!Ul')(f wattt lISe'~n~t change d~ from arinJ.er use.
Most wattToonsumcd b)o ~il'lC:55 Il'ICn: is b" itxJ;:)or PJtpOSC:S.
DCA for )rrigat:io1i.
8uf water con:sumpI:ioc by sdluob incnascs cframatk:a.Dy dur
mg months ... 1th littk raicWl •• ina: the sd.xis ha"'e ~ of
athIcIic fields to ma.i.cl.a.i.D. TbaI has the .mintCn.w effect or
pW.bing dv:m into .. mudI higbu rate brxid. siDce:il appcaJ'5
'Ibcy, &R' IUq more water Ibm dley sbooId.
-:-ACcording waIef billi:lp obtained by tilt Week3j from the
Palo Alto 1Jt.J.1ities Dt:partmcnt, !be ~ district W:. ye.t.r pa)d
about $60,(((\ rmre fOf" wa1t1' Iha.n iI ",oold ha'lle if bad .iI DOt
~ penalized for~' ~ water ~. And. is liktb' 10 pay
consider3bly more during the rom~ yeaL' IIIIles" !be me !ICbed .. UJe is lnOdified. .. -..
Counc~ memben and ttatr "'""'" _ omprioe .. IIle dis
covet)'. and point out dud: ~ ICbooI districI hiDtains playing
fic:tds for !be beoefu: of !be emitt cornmwiitJ aDd shou1da't be
penaf1Ud for ub1.g w.ter inc 1bM,pwpDSe.
While-.. e rCrognize dx: difficaJty iollin1tnng with • compli
cated Water 00:c ruuctJ.lrc, the rases seem clca1y nntair kl !be .
ICbooIs aDd in oced or modification. UuJesI; Ikre is ev1denc:t: of
excess water iue by the 3oChoob.. we see 00 good reasoa for •
race pan::y dial discriminates as dili: ODe does.. RDd we uige ~
City Couocil to talc steps to quickly remedy !be pi'oblem.
PALO }.~LTO WEEKI,Y
JULY 24, 1991
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