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From YouTube: Water Rate Study Mar2008
Description
First look at the City's water rate study and how the rate structure may look in the future as the City replaces aging infrastructure
A
A
Hello,
I'm,
Andrew
McCullough
and
welcome
to
city
Edition,
a
video
news
magazine
that
keeps
you
informed
about
our
city
government
in
our
first
segment.
We'll
learn
more
about
the
city's
plans
to
move
its
water
utility
billing
to
a
conservation
base
rate
structure.
What
that
means
is
customers
will
pay
for
only
what
they
use
the.
B
C
D
E
B
E
D
C
B
E
E
In
particular,
the
rates
give
small
users
too
much
of
a
share
of
the
bill.
There
really
should
be
just
a
connection
charge
like
we
have
for
electricity,
plus
an
amount
for
how
much
is
actually
used,
and
we
haven't
had
that
in
the
past.
Although
there
was
been
sort
of
a
hybrid
system
in
place,
we're
trying
to
transition
to
a
rate
system
that
is
really
more
fair,
equitable
and
also
encourages
conservation.
The.
C
Rate
study-
that's
underway
today,
is
different
than
any
other
of
those
before
because
we're
looking
at
the
rate
structure.
At
the
same
time,
the
rate
structure
has
not
been
looked
at
for
over
50
years,
because
we
move
from
an
unmetered
system
to
a
fully
metered
system,
and
now
we
can
spread
the
costs
a
little
more
equitably.
The.
E
General
idea
is
that
a
small
user,
or
maybe
only
uses
a
few
hundred
gallons
a
month,
has
to
pay
the
same
as
somebody
who
uses
hundreds
and
hundreds
of
cubic
feet
of
water
per
month,
and
so
it's
just
too
much
of
a
too
much
of
the
burden
is
being
forced
onto
the
very
small
user.
And
although
the
city
of
bends,
water
rates
are
not
as
bad
as
they
could
be.
Like
some
other
cities
in
this
regard,
that
we
still
have
a
long
ways
to
go
in
ensuring
that
small
users
are
not
being
overcharged.
C
B
Economic
slowdown
at
the
city
of
Bend
is
experiencing
right.
Now
is
good
for
Public
Works.
This
allows
us.
The
opportunity
is
right
now
to
complete
some
master
plans.
We
have
on
the
street
a
water
master
plan.
Our
sewer
master
plan,
I
wastewater
treatment.
Plant
master
plan
allows
us
to
get
these
things
completed.
It
also
allows
our
people
to
become
less
reactive
and
more
proactive
when
dealing
with
situations
around
the
city,
especially
they
relate
to
our
utilities
and
our
street
operations.
So.
E
First,
the
right
study
will
look
at
the
water
rates,
try
to
get
those
in
shape
for
not
only
providing
a
fair
basis
to
go
forward,
but
also
enough
money
that
the
city
can
continue
to
have
an
excellent
water
supply
service.
But
then
the
next
step
is
to
look
at
the
sewer
rates
and
do
the
same
thing
charge
more
for
people
who
use
the
system
more.
It's
only
fair.
The
importance.
D
Of
water
conservation
really
is
a
way
of
offsetting
future
infrastructure
needs
by
reducing
the
demand.
Today
we
can
build
smaller
tanks,
reservoirs,
less
pump
stations
are
needed
because
we're
meeting
those
demands
through
water
conservation.
So
it's
a
savings
to
the
consumer.
In
the
long
run,
water.