when the GWRS contract amount of secondarily treated effluent is flowing to OCWD for GWRS.

$30 per year at the end of the process. That is about a $3 per year increase for secondary until the time all the secondary facilities are built.

Trying to keep this simple, but folks should know the secondary increases only (or less than) $ 3 per year while the secondary facilities are constructed.

Take care,

Randy T Fuhrman
16915 Roundhill Drive
Huntington Beach, CA 92649
(714) 377-4487

-----Original Message-----
From: JonV3@aol.com [mailto:JonV3@aol.com]
Sent: Sunday, June 22, 2003 1:03 PM
To: JonV3@aol.com
Subject: OOG: Must Attend OCSD Meeting June 25, 7 PM, Sewer Rates

Dear OOG:

The crucial OCSD Board meeting for establishing sewer rates is this next Wednesday, June 25, 7 PM at OCSD administrative headquarters, 10844 Ellis, corner Euclid and Ellis, Euclid exit off the 405 Freeway, Fountain Valley.

I hope that all of you come to this meeting, as there may be a large number of angry taxpayers who have been stoked by the Register's inflammatory rhetoric against the sewer rate increases.

As you may have heard, the OCSD Board has elected to reduce its rates from a 20% increase to a 15% increase to pay for its $2.4 billion Capital Improvement Program (CIP). Of this amount, the cost to go to full secondary treatment without a waiver from Clean Water Act standards amounts to $30 a year, or $2.50 a month.

A table is attached that explains the various costs associated with different treatment alternatives. I recommend downloading and printing this table to study it more thoroughly. Look at row C, Full Secondary, for comparisons and costs. The last column shows the difference in costs with the different alternatives. $30 is the annual cost for the alternative C, full secondary. Alternative C is the only alternative that does not require a waiver.

Only $30 a year, $2.50 a month. This is the point we need to repeat over and over to the Board. There are going to be lots of people in the audience complaining of the rates. We need to make sure they know that a clean ocean is worth it.

But don't let anyone make you believe the rate increases are necessary because of the Board decision last year to get rid of the waiver and go for full secondary treatment. The rate increases are necessary to pay for the whole CIP, of which the full secondary is only a small part (less than 20%).

I personally believe that OCSD has done a very good job in keeping costs down, even while retaining large reserves. The costs for sewer treatment for OC residents are half of the average costs in other California counties. The large reserves are helping keep costs down. At the OCSD Board meeting last month, May 28, the Finance Director pointed out that the reserves are saving the ratepayer $26 a year in fees. If the rate for a single family residence is $105 a year with the reserves in place, it would have been $131 without the reserves. Thus, in a way, the reserves are paying the $30 a year cost for full secondary.

$30 a year, $2.50 a month.
$30 a year, $2.50 a month.
$30 a year, $2.50 a month.

Over and over again.

A small price to pay for a clean ocean.

See you at the meeting.

Thanks.

Jan Vandersloot (949) 548-6326

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