Landowners and rural residents can calculate how proposed water rates will impact them for compliance with Sustainable Groundwater Management Act
August 28, 2015 (Paso Robles, CA) – Citizens Advocating for Local Management of the Paso Robles Groundwater Basin (CALM) announced a new rate calculator to help landowners and rural residents determine how the proposed water rates will impact individuals to comply with the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA). The calculator can be found online at www.calmthebasin.org.
The calculator uses the proposed rates, which were approved by the County Board of Supervisors on August 18. The rate structure includes three components: 1) every parcel pays a small equal portion 2) every parcel pays a portion by land use 3) every parcel pays by acreage use with agriculture making up 89% of the acreage-based funding. The new CALM calculator guides landowners and rural residents through the proposed criteria to help everyone determine their estimated individual scenarios.
SGMA became state law effective January 1, 2015. Voters will have a choice in March 2016 during a special election to choose how to best comply with SGMA. CALM wants voters to be informed on the specifics. Understanding how the rate structure impacts each individual is a key component to evaluating options for who will manage water. The options are:
- Local Control – AB2453 water district – governed by an elected board of landowners and registered voters.
- The County Flood Control District – governed by the San Luis County Board of Supervisors.
- State of California – Governed by state agencies.
“The calculator is designed for rural residents and agriculturists alike to look at how SGMA compliance will specifically impact them,” said Randy Diffenbaugh a member of the CALM Steering Committee. “We believe local control in the form of the AB2453 water district is the best way to move ahead which gives small, medium, and large landowners along with registered voters an equal voice in the decision.”
Whether voters choose the County Flood Control District or local control in the form of the AB2453 Water District the rate structure is proposed to be the same. Rates from the State of California have not yet been released.
About CALM
We are a grassroots group of citizens who feel that local management of our groundwater basin, in the form of a water district with a hybrid board as proposed in AB2453, is the best way to provide fair and equitable management of the groundwater basin for our community.
To learn more about CALM or to join us as a supporter of our educational efforts please visit our website at calmthebasin.org, or contact us at calmthebasin@gmail.com
Is this a monthly assessment? Yearly? What?
Hi Clare,
I am told that the calculator computes the annual assessment rate.