Dear San Jose Water Customers,
In January 2021 San Jose Water Company asked for a 18-23% increase in the water rates over the next three years, which means the average monthly bill will rise $17 from $93 to $110. This continues a pattern of raising our water rates every year. As captive San Jose Water customers we have no choice but to pay more when they raise our water rates. The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) is supposed to prevent San Jose Water from unnecessary price increases but has rarely done so over the past ten years.
San Jose Water has a monopoly on providing water to its customers yet they are a for-profit company on the New York Stock Exchange. Since 2011 our water rates have gone from $3.23 per 748 gallons to $9 per 748 gallons, which means our rates have nearly tripled in the past ten years. Over the same time period, San Jose Water’s stock price has nearly tripled, which shows our rate increases may go towards shareholder profits rather than justifiable costs.
As ratepayers, we will have two opportunities to tell the CPUC and the San Jose City Council that enough is enough and San Jose Water should not be allowed to raise water rates without cause. We urge you to sign this petition and consequently we will invite you to attend March 23 and May 23 meetings where we can demonstrate that we will not tolerate ever increasing water rates from San Jose Water. Even if you don’t want to speak, your attendance will be appreciated to send a very strong message to San Jose Water officials in the presence of the CPUC and the San Jose City Council.
San Jose has some of the highest “big city” water rates in the country and we are financing the growth and repairs of water systems that San Jose water has purchased in Connecticut and Texas. If we let them, San Jose Water will continue raising the water rates on their customers to pay for “massive infrastructure” upgrades such as automatic meters then it already is now, and costing customers millions more.
Sincerely,
San Jose District 10 Water Rate Working Group
Updates
Reached 100 supporters
March 23, 2021
43 Comments
Water prices have been steadily increasing over the past 25 years at my current Blossom Valley residence. I used to believe that the infrastructure needed changing and this extra money would help it get done, but now I think these rate increases are just for profit taking and pretty much doing nothing else. Please stop these rate increases and actually make it a rate decrease. Thanks for listening.
I’m also a member of WRATES, we’ve been fighting SJW for years over excessive water rates and merger with CTWS. CPUC has been unresponsive, SJW dividends keep rising, executive pay keeps rising. Nothing is done to keep rates down. Ratepayers need to have a seat at the table. SJC receives preferential pricing at out expense. It’s time to take action against SJW on this issue!
There has to be a better way of funding infrastructure. Individually billing people is a waste of labor and costs more than it would to lump it all together and have an oversight committee with a mandate for transparency and regular reporting of where the money is going. More strength in numbers
Walter: This happened because the occupants of Santa Clara County a century and a half ago couldn't afford to build a water system and set up a company to do it. This company evolved into San Jose Water Company. The Public Utility Commision issued a report last year indicating this type of public-private partnership where the private company owns the system infrastructure is the least beneficial to customers.
Building your global water business and dividends on the back of ratepayers should clearly be out of line with the protections supposedly provided by the Public Utlities Commission.
enough, people on fixed incomes are in trouble already!!!!
I would like a more detailed description rather than a circular graph showing how much is spent in each category. Oh, and those colorful brochures are expensive to produce.
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Dear San Jose Water Customers,
In January 2021 San Jose Water Company asked for a 18-23% increase in the water rates over the next three years, which means the average monthly bill will rise $17 from $93 to $110. This continues a pattern of raising our water rates every year. As captive San Jose Water customers we have no choice but to pay more when they raise our water rates. The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) is supposed to prevent San Jose Water from unnecessary price increases but has rarely done so over the past ten years.
San Jose Water has a monopoly on providing water to its customers yet they are a for-profit company on the New York Stock Exchange. Since 2011 our water rates have gone from $3.23 per 748 gallons to $9 per 748 gallons, which means our rates have nearly tripled in the past ten years. Over the same time period, San Jose Water’s stock price has nearly tripled, which shows our rate increases may go towards shareholder profits rather than justifiable costs.
As ratepayers, we will have two opportunities to tell the CPUC and the San Jose City Council that enough is enough and San Jose Water should not be allowed to raise water rates without cause. We urge you to sign this petition and consequently we will invite you to attend March 23 and May 23 meetings where we can demonstrate that we will not tolerate ever increasing water rates from San Jose Water. Even if you don’t want to speak, your attendance will be appreciated to send a very strong message to San Jose Water officials in the presence of the CPUC and the San Jose City Council.
San Jose has some of the highest “big city” water rates in the country and we are financing the growth and repairs of water systems that San Jose water has purchased in Connecticut and Texas. If we let them, San Jose Water will continue raising the water rates on their customers to pay for “massive infrastructure” upgrades such as automatic meters then it already is now, and costing customers millions more.
Sincerely,
San Jose District 10 Water Rate Working Group
Updates
Reached 100 supporters
March 23, 2021
43 Comments
As a long-term resident I am astonished that my water saving efforts from year to year result in ever increasing bills. We have significantly reduced our water usage yet we are being punished by higher rates for being mindful of drought conditions.
Water prices have been steadily increasing over the past 25 years at my current Blossom Valley residence. I used to believe that the infrastructure needed changing and this extra money would help it get done, but now I think these rate increases are just for profit taking and pretty much doing nothing else. Please stop these rate increases and actually make it a rate decrease. Thanks for listening.
I’m also a member of WRATES, we’ve been fighting SJW for years over excessive water rates and merger with CTWS. CPUC has been unresponsive, SJW dividends keep rising, executive pay keeps rising. Nothing is done to keep rates down. Ratepayers need to have a seat at the table. SJC receives preferential pricing at out expense. It’s time to take action against SJW on this issue!
There has to be a better way of funding infrastructure. Individually billing people is a waste of labor and costs more than it would to lump it all together and have an oversight committee with a mandate for transparency and regular reporting of where the money is going. More strength in numbers
Walter: This happened because the occupants of Santa Clara County a century and a half ago couldn't afford to build a water system and set up a company to do it. This company evolved into San Jose Water Company. The Public Utility Commision issued a report last year indicating this type of public-private partnership where the private company owns the system infrastructure is the least beneficial to customers.
Building your global water business and dividends on the back of ratepayers should clearly be out of line with the protections supposedly provided by the Public Utlities Commission.
enough, people on fixed incomes are in trouble already!!!!
I would like a more detailed description rather than a circular graph showing how much is spent in each category. Oh, and those colorful brochures are expensive to produce.
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As a long-term resident I am astonished that my water saving efforts from year to year result in ever increasing bills. We have significantly reduced our water usage yet we are being punished by higher rates for being mindful of drought conditions.