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GMA raises tiered groundwater surcharge to match imported water costs effective Jan. 1, 2026
Summary
The board adopted Resolution 2020 602 to increase tiered groundwater surcharge rates so the surcharge again reflects the cost of imported water; the vote follows discussion on fairness across different aquifers and public concern about notice and mailing returns.
The Groundwater Management Agency board adopted Resolution 2020 602 to increase the agency’s tiered groundwater surcharge rates effective January 1, 2026, matching the current cost benchmarks for imported water used to discourage extractions in excess of allocations.
Dr. Farahk, presenting the item, said the agency’s ordinance requires the board to set surcharge rates at a level that discourages excess extraction and to base them on import costs. He explained that the current agency surcharge had fallen below the cost to import water and no longer performed that function; staff recommended adjusting the tiers so the first tier would start at $2,289 per acre‑foot (reflecting combined Metropolitan and Cayugas charges) and rise to about $2,789 per acre‑foot at higher tiers, effective Jan. 1, 2026.
Board members discussed the historic rationale for tying the surcharge to imported water rates and noted it is reviewed annually. Public commenters raised two concerns: Doug Holmes said notice mailings were unreliable and noted the earlier staff figure that ‘‘304 notices were mailed, 79 were returned’’; grower Daryl Smith asked whether the surcharge treats users pumping from different aquifers equitably.
Staff answered that the resolution sets rates and does not itself assess surcharges; any assessment would follow allocation determinations and, if necessary, enforcement steps. After discussion the board approved Resolution 2020 602 on roll call. The packet contained an internal staff note that a line in the staff report referencing $2,058 appears to be a partial component of the combined rate; staff clarified the packet exhibits show the final combined tier totals.
