The Public Utilities Commission has scheduled a meeting at the Kernville Chamber of Commerce building on Thursday, Feb. 18, to receive public input regarding an application by the California Water Service Company (Cal Water) to increase rates by more than 25 percent over the next three years. Several months ago, when these rate increases were first proposed, Cal Water held an informational meeting at the Moose Lodge in Lake Isabella. Unfortunately, it was solely an opportunity for Cal Water to present their issues and that no minutes were being recorded and that no customer concerns were to be taken back to Cal Water’s Senior Management. While their intentions may have been honorable, it seemed as if the meeting was planned to defuse public concerns before the real review process occurred by letting the public vent their frustration “yelling down Cal Water’s well,” but with nobody listening but us!

Thursday’s meeting is now our opportunity to share with our Public Ratepayer Advocates why the proposed rate increases are unreasonable, as well as what hardships they will create. In the past 10 years our water bills have increased 300 percent. Water is precious, but just charging more is no substitute for real water management, and we Kern River Valley residents should not have to abandon our lawns and gardens.

With water costs already exorbitant, now is the time for Valley Cal Water customers to act. Please take the time to do your homework and come prepared to explain why it is important that, in this difficult financial climate, Cal Water be denied its proposed rate increases and require it to revise its budget to better use what it already collects. Robert Hyde

Kernville