“We appreciate the city trusting us to do this,” Ferons said. “I actually didn’t really expect the rates to go down, especially as other utilities are all increasing.”īeyer said that when considering how her gas bill “is triple” in comparison to a few years ago, she was happy with SMWD’s water services “so far.” Obviously, I probably had one or two high months in 2021 and the same in 2022, so I added the whole year and used that as a comparison.” she said. “Turns out that over the past 12 months, compared to the previous 12 months, my water bills are 14% less when I added up the whole year. Resident Erin Beyer said she also noticed a drop in prices when looking at her water bills over the past year.
SMWD has its head and heart in the right place when it comes to San Juan, said Solt, who added he had “nothing but kudos” on the annexation. Well-managed.”Ī copy of water bills from 20 provided by Solt showed an approximate $10 decrease in his costs. “Santa Margarita has some great facilities,” he said. He has a background in the chemical industry and has gone on a couple of facility tours given by SMWD, saying they are “thoroughly professional.” Solt, who considers himself “rigorous” when it comes to water conservation, said his water costs have gone down in the past year. Residents who spoke to The Capistrano Dispatch had no complaints about SMWD or their water costs since the annexation, including Dave Solt. SMWD will also hold community outreach events to educate residents on what they’re doing. SMWD is currently conducting a study on how rates will shape up for the coming years and anticipates having clearer information by January. Prior to the annexation, rates in San Juan had reportedly been increasing since 2018, he said. “Most people saw a little bit of a decrease, 4 dollars to 4½ dollars,” Ferons said.
The annexation has resulted in cost savings for water customers right off the bat, including for the tier of lowest water users. “It’s been an interesting process,” Ferons said. Overall, the annexation has been good and a learning experience for the utility crews, he said. SMWD is used to master-planned communities, while San Juan is a town that has been around longer and has more varied areas, Ferons said. Some aspects of San Juan Capistrano’s water services need more attention than previously assumed, while others require less attention than initially expected, he said. “If you buy a resale house, until you live in it, you don’t know until you walk through. “It’s like buying a new house, when you think about it,” Ferons said. When asked if the transition has been seamless or challenging, Ferons said it was somewhere in between. SMWD is examining pump stations to make sure they have backup power systems.Ĭrews from San Juan have been brought in and melded with SMWD’s crews, which included cross-training, Ferons said. Future plans include rehabilitation work on several wells, working with the City of San Juan Capistrano to collect runoff water at the Rancho Mission Viejo Riding Park and expanding a recycled water program. Repairs have also been made to manholes and pipelines, Ferons said.Īnother $4 million is budgeted for projects under construction and in the works. SMWD has invested $5.6 million in water improvements so far, including increased capacity for the groundwater treatment plant, upgrading pumping stations, and rebuilding their data acquisition system so operations can be done remotely. The Santa Margarita Water District did a lot of preliminary work and investigation before being handed the proverbial keys, he said. The Santa Margarita Water District officially took over San Juan Capistrano’s water services on November 15, 2021.Ī year after the city acquiesced the utility, SMWD General Manager Dan Ferons said the annexation has gone well. Featured image: Santa Margarita Water District General Manger Dan Ferons gives remarks during a groundbreaking ceremony for a new water filtration plant in Rancho Mission Viejo on Nov.
0 kommentar(er)
