Editor:

(This letter was sent to the Fern Valley Water District.)

I wanted to share my concerns about the proposed changes being considered for Fern Valley water before the public meeting next month. I hope you will take them into consideration before you make your decision.

I have been a customer at my current home since 1988. I was advised not to have the meter in my back lot removed since the cost to put back in would be $5,000 to $6,000. I have kept it all this time in good faith when it would have been just as easy to let it go a long time ago. I have more than paid the reinstall fee in meter fees over the years I kept it wanting to be a good customer.

If you raise the fee for this “standby meter” to $60, increasing to $90 in the future, I will be forced to disconnect it anyhow. I could have done so years ago when I first wanted to. Raising the fees for standby meters this much seems unreasonable.

Can you at least cut the reinstall fee if we are forced to disconnect now because of this increase and choose to reconnect the meter later.

My water bill is already the most expensive bill I pay. I wonder how you justify asking people to conserve water then penalizing them for doing what you asked.

We have no choice where we get our water. I feel this is taking advantage of this situation.

Why not take a partial pay cut or get cheaper health insurance to help defray the significant increase you are considering so we don’t get hit quite so hard.

I have only heard about the increase but nothing so far about what it will be used for. What are your plans? Will this be used to bring the quality of our water back to the standard it used to be? What about the people who simply cannot pay this significant increase to their basic fee? Do you simply shut off their water? What is your plan?

I appreciate your taking my concerns into consideration. You have always been fair in the past and done your best to take care of your customers.

Judi Milin 

Fern Valley