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Los Virgenes area water district presents rate study, highlights Pure Water project and desalination pilot
Summary
Representatives of the Las Virgenes‑area water district told the Calabasas council the district is pursuing supply diversification — including a Pure Water recycled water project (up to 30% local supply) and an ocean desalination pilot — and outlined a multi‑year rate study; public workshops were announced for August.
Representatives of the local water district updated the Calabasas City Council on June 25 about efforts to strengthen water reliability and a multi‑year rate study that would fund those investments.
Ricky Clark, public affairs associate for the district, said the district relies on a single imported source through the State Water Project and faces risks from climate change, rising costs and regulatory changes. To reduce vulnerability, the district is pursuing supply diversification. Clark highlighted the Pure Water project, which the district expects to deliver up to 30% of local supply in about five years, and said a partnership testing an ocean desalination technology could yield up to 15% of local supply in the longer term.
Brian Richie, identified in the presentation as the district’s director of finance and technology, joined Clark in outlining a five‑year rate study. The presenters explained the district’s budget‑based billing system — which assigns customers a unique household water budget and three tiers for billing (efficient, inefficient, excessive) — and said rate impacts vary by household size, irrigable area and meter size.
Clark said the district’s average residential customer would see a modest bill increase over the multi‑year period used in the presentation (he characterized the average increase as about $10–$11 for the referenced household assumptions) and emphasized that customers who stay within their water budgets would be least affected. He directed residents to a live rate calculator on the district website and noted public workshops will be held in person at district headquarters and virtually (the presentation listed August 19 for an in‑person workshop at 6 p.m.).
Council members asked about workshop times and expressed support for the district’s diversification efforts. Board member Gary Burns thanked the council, noted Metropolitan Water District support for redundancy measures and described local pipe replacement work planned to reduce leaks.
No action was required of the council for the presentation; staff and the district said the rate study remains under consideration and the district will host public outreach before proposing final rate changes.
