BY LWV OBSERVER CORPS
Editor’s note: Members of the League of Woman Voters of Los Alamos Observer Corps have been providing LWV members with reports on certain meetings in the County for many years. These reports have been included in the LWV’s monthly newsletter and now, at the invitation of the Los Alamos Reporter, will also be submitted to the Reporter for publication. The video of the full meeting may be seen at https://losalamos.granicus.com/player/clip/4932?view_id=2&redirect=true
Observer Corps Report – County Council – September 29
Water Service Rate Schedule
The session was attended by Chair Randall Ryti, Vice Chair Ryn Herrmann, and Councilors Theresa Cull, Melanee Hand, Suzie Havemann, Beverly Neal-Clinton, and David Reagor.
Water Service Rate Schedule
Voting 5–2, Council adopted an ordinance amending the Department of Public Utilities Water Service Rate Schedules. Councilors Hand and Reagor voted in opposition.
Service Rate Schedules
The revised water rate schedules establish consecutive 8% adjustments for FY 2027 and FY 2028 for residential, multifamily, commercial, County, and school customers. The schedules also add a new monthly service charge for non-potable users; an additional energy charge for water sold to Pajarito Mountain Service Area to account for pumping costs; and incorporation of debt service and contingency cash reserves to the rates for bulk water deliveries to LANL. These additions reflect the number of capital loans the County has issued to fund construction of a new well and replacement of water production lines.
Council previously approved a version of the ordinance at its meeting on June 30. However, that approval was subsequently voided because the ordinance approved by Council contained material differences from the version introduced at the Board of Public Utilities meeting. The differences, which were corrected in the version considered tonight, concerned the effective dates of the service charge changes.
Council discussion
Chair Ryti said that convincing arguments for his support of the ordinance were that it establishes a more equitable service rate for the Pajarito Mountain Service Area, reflecting the higher cost of servicing the high-elevation site, and that it addresses the fact that LANL has long been undercharged for its bulk water deliveries.
Councilor Reagor did not support the rate increases. He felt that the Public Utilities Department should place greater emphasis on controlling costs within the system, whether for water, natural gas, or any other public utility.