Water District Plans Wholesale Rate Hike
Orange County Water District directors have approved a $67-million operating budget for 1998-99 that will slightly raise the price of wholesale water in July.
The budget increases the cost of ground water from $91 to $94 an acre-foot, the unit of measurement used for water. It would take, for example, 300 acre-feet of water to fill the Titanic, said Ron Wildermuth, spokesman for the district.
This is the second consecutive year that wholesale water rates went up $3. The district said the increase is needed to cover improvements, the high cost of importing water and greater demand.
Wildermuth said he does not expect to see a big increase in rates for residents in about 20 northern and central Orange County cities that buy water from the district. Each local agency determines rates.
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