rate increases

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - For the past few months, the South Tahoe Public Utility District (STPUD) has been meeting with staff and the public to discuss rate changes needed to improve the water, sewer and recycled water systems to their customers.

To start the process of raising rates each year for the next five years, STPUD followed a set of rules outlined under Proposition 218, one of which was to send notices to their ratepayers on how much the proposed increase could be.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - South Tahoe Public Utility District (STPUD) will start the process to raise water service rates by up to six percent and sewer rates by up to five percent in order to start replacing aging pipes and providing improved fire flow throughout their service area. If fully implemented, this increase would fuel an $81.5M capital improvement program for sewer improvements, and $70M for water system improvements, especially fire flow projects.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - In 2014, the South Tahoe Public Utility District’s Board of Directors approved a series of annual rate increases to fund more than $50 million in critical improvements to South Tahoe’s water, wastewater, and recycled water systems. These upgrades lower long-term costs, improve fire flow, protect the environment and ensure longterm, quality service. On Thursday, December 20, 2018 at 6 p.m. the District will host a public meeting on the upgrades to the water, sewer and recycled water systems, and the ongoing improvements still needed.

The following is a Letter to the Editor from South Tahoe Public Utility District Board Member Jim Jones, a candidate for re-election:

To the Community:

Residents in South Lake Tahoe will soon be paying more for garbage pick-up after the South Lake Tahoe City Council voted 4-1 to approve South Tahoe Refuse's request to raise rates for residential customers by 8.81 percent, the biggest one-time increase ever added to the service.

The rate increase will go into effect January 1, 2018.

The monthly rate for SLT customers will go from $26.55 to #28.89 for unlimited service, and increase of $2.34. Qualified seniors (65 and over and part of Liberty Utilities Care program) will pay an extra $1.95, taking their monthly rate to $24.15.

Fitch Ratings affirmed South Tahoe Public Utility District on Monday as part of its ongoing survey of public agencies, noting the ratings outlook remains within the organization remains "stable."
The firm, which positions itself as a global rating agency dedicated to providing value beyond the rating through independent and prospective credit opinions, research and data, gave the water and sewer district a AA+ rating, noting $10.8 million sewer revenue certificates of participation. The ratings agency also asserts that STPUD continues to have strong reserves in place that protects the district against a reduction in its property tax revenues.