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MID approves 10 percent water rate increase
The Modesto Irrigation District (MID) Board of Directors (Board) voted today to increase irrigation water rates by 10 percent.
With this increase, the active irrigation water service charge will be $23.50 per acre and the facilities maintenance charge will be $11.75 per acre. MID irrigation customers pay either the irrigated water service charge or the facilities maintenance charge, not both.
The Board also chose to set a 36-inch base tier water allocation for 2008, which is included in the $23.50 per acre charge.The water allocation is determined by prevailing snowpack conditions, runoff projections and MID’s share of water storage in Don Pedro Reservoir.
The rate increase also applies to the water sold to the City of Modesto as part of the operation of the Modesto Regional Water Treatment Plant.
Need for increase
The water rate increase is needed to help cover the increases in the cost of:
- Protecting water rights
- Operating and maintaining the canal system
- Delivering and scheduling water to growers
- Engineering design support
- Regulatory compliance
- Administrative and general expenses.
The increased revenues will help bring the MID water services closer to their true costs. Water revenues are not used to offset any other MID expenses.
Irrigation season begins March 16
The MID irrigation season will start Sunday, March 16. Once water is released from Don Pedro Reservoir, it takes approximately three days to charge the canal system. MID will be ready to schedule water deliveries around Wednesday,
March 19. These dates could change, however, depending on weather conditions in the next few days. For more information, MID customers should call Irrigation Services, 209 526-7639. |
