Fern Valley Water District’s current-year budget has produced nearly $200,000 in income during the first nine months of the fiscal year, which ends June 30. With income approaching $770,000 and current expenditures about $570,000, General Manager Steve Erler told the board last week, “The budget looks as though we’re on target.”
With the completion of the tank-farm work and demolition of former reservoir no. 5, no major capital improvement projects are planned for the balance of the year.
Board President Robert Krieger told his colleagues that the Rates and Revenue Committee expects to present its report to the full board at the May 15 meeting. After FVWD’s attorney briefly reviewed the report, Krieger said the committee wanted to make some changes before its presentation to the board. Consequently, if a public hearing is needed for any rate increases that would likely be in June rather than the original plan of May.
While water supply is holding steady, Erler did report that well production is higher this year than in 2014. In February and March, about 20 percent of water came from FVWD wells compared to just 13 percent a year ago.
“Strawberry Creek is dry, and Tahquitz is much less,” he said.
The leak detection program has been interrupted, but Erler still believes it will be completed this month. With about half of the district surveyed, Erler said, “We’ve found a few small leaks, but nothing big.”