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Winter 2012/13 NewsletterWelcome to Vista Vu Water Users Association's newsletter. Our purpose is to keep you informed about important activities and projects that your Board of Trustees is undertaking on your behalf. This edition of the Newsletter introduces our new rate structure and rate increases effective January 1st. 2013. Board Adopts 2013 Irrigation and Domestic RatesBeginning with your January 1 2013 billing cycle you will see changes in your domestic and irrigation water monthly rates. The new rates and the reasons behind them were presented to a Special Membership Meeting on Tuesday December 4th at the Omak Gun Club and were described in detail in the Special Bulletin distributed at the meeting. Irrigation RatesThe PUD power rate increase this year erased the efficiencies we gained from the VFD on our big pump. The budget balanced at the end of 2012, but we had no breakdowns or major servicing expenses during the irrigation season, luck that cannot be expected to last much longer. A 13.4% increase in KWh charges in 2013 will necessitate a reversal of the $5/ac/year rate reduction you saw this year, plus a further $10/ac/year increase to $160/ac/year. For a 5.25 ac water right the 2013 monthly rate will be $70, up from the present $63.44. Current billing practices will continue with monthly or annual billing options available to members. Domestic RatesStarting Jan 1st 2013 we will move to monthly domestic billing for all members. The new "base rate" of $55/month will be billed in advance, entitling members to 5,000 gallons of water per month, or 167 gals/day. Usage over 5,000 will move you into the 1st Tier with charges of $2/1,000 gals/month up to 7,500 gals. Rates increase by $1/1,000 gals. as each tier is reached. In Tier 5 usage over 30,000 gals per month will cost you $6/1,000 gals. Infrastructure FeeMandated by conditions in our amended DWSRF loan agreement, the current $10 infrastructure fee will increase by $5 per buildable lot per month to $15. As is now the case, the fee will be billed a month in advance. January 2013 BillingDue to your Treasurer's Holiday travel schedule, you will not receive your January bills until after January 7th. The "due date" will be adjusted accordingly. Domestic System Chlorination UnderwayTo extend the life of the adsorption media in our arsenic removal system, we are adding chlorine to the water coming in from the well. Most of the chlorine is used up in the adsorption process, but about 0.5 parts per million remains in the water. To put this in perspective, the maximum concentration of chlorine allowed in drinking water by the Environmental Protection Agency is 4.0 parts per million - eight times more than what will normally be in your tap water.
Click here for earlier Newsletters archive For further information contact: Stu
Skidmore, President; Doug Marsh, Vice President;
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