Anonymous wrote:If you don't like this, then the recourse is through the DC Office of People's Counsel

https://opc-dc.gov/

I would "file a complaint"

Anonymous wrote:OP here, surprised some posters think the jump is no big deal. The $$ amount is not the issue, though annoying as raises my CRIAC charge by about $25/mo. The issue is why this specific item is jumping so much, while none of the other charges on our monthly bill are going up nearly as much, and this item actually declined from 24 to 25.

Where is the explanation and the accountability? Are we all just do used to DC randomly screwing residents with fees and taxes that we just blame the people asking questions, rather than the politicians who are spending more and more of our money?

this ppt of DC water proposed budget https://www.dcwater.com/sites/default/files/finance/rates/BudgetReviewDocs/Proposed%20FY%202025%20Budget.pdf has no explanation of the rationale for the increase

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here, surprised some posters think the jump is no big deal. The $$ amount is not the issue, though annoying as raises my CRIAC charge by about $25/mo. The issue is why this specific item is jumping so much, while none of the other charges on our monthly bill are going up nearly as much, and this item actually declined from 24 to 25.

Where is the explanation and the accountability? Are we all just do used to DC randomly screwing residents with fees and taxes that we just blame the people asking questions, rather than the politicians who are spending more and more of our money?

this ppt of DC water proposed budget https://www.dcwater.com/sites/default/files/finance/rates/BudgetReviewDocs/Proposed%20FY%202025%20Budget.pdf has no explanation of the rationale for the increase

The explanation comes via the Board and the accountability comes via the Council and the DC Office of People's Counsel.

Anonymous wrote:OP here, surprised some posters think the jump is no big deal. The $$ amount is not the issue, though annoying as raises my CRIAC charge by about $25/mo. The issue is why this specific item is jumping so much, while none of the other charges on our monthly bill are going up nearly as much, and this item actually declined from 24 to 25.

Where is the explanation and the accountability? Are we all just do used to DC randomly screwing residents with fees and taxes that we just blame the people asking questions, rather than the politicians who are spending more and more of our money?

this ppt of DC water proposed budget https://www.dcwater.com/sites/default/files/finance/rates/BudgetReviewDocs/Proposed%20FY%202025%20Budget.pdf has no explanation of the rationale for the increase

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here, surprised some posters think the jump is no big deal. The $$ amount is not the issue, though annoying as raises my CRIAC charge by about $25/mo. The issue is why this specific item is jumping so much, while none of the other charges on our monthly bill are going up nearly as much, and this item actually declined from 24 to 25.

Where is the explanation and the accountability? Are we all just do used to DC randomly screwing residents with fees and taxes that we just blame the people asking questions, rather than the politicians who are spending more and more of our money?

this ppt of DC water proposed budget https://www.dcwater.com/sites/default/files/finance/rates/BudgetReviewDocs/Proposed%20FY%202025%20Budget.pdf has no explanation of the rationale for the increase

The explanation is not explicit, but it is there.

DC Water has a massive and increasing amount of debt to service and the cost of servicing that debt is increasing (I wonder if being financially independent from the DC government increases those costs).

Some of the projects that created that debt - replacing lead pipes - are worthwhile. Some - such as the new HQ building - seem downright wasteful. Others - such as cleaning up the rivers - are worthwhile but should not be left to DC residents alone to pay for.

Of course, DC Water’s payroll is bloated and it’s easier for management to raise rates than it is to fire people. Absent a massive outcry, the Board is always going to approve a rate increase rather than insist that DC Water rationalize their costs.

The projections in the budget are scary. DC residents water costs are going to rise sharply in the coming years.

DC Water only became an independent public entity in 1996. Spinning it off from the city government probably seemed like a good idea at that time. But I’m not sure it looks like such a great idea now. The Board structure makes it essentially unaccountable to DC residents, who are bearing the costs of its profligacy.

"The projections in the budget are scary. DC residents water costs are going to rise sharply in the coming years"

And the incompetent if not downright corrupt "progressives" DC keeps electing won't fix the problem. And I am a lifelong Democrat...

Anonymous wrote:Not only did the hike this fee up, they "reassessed" our property and quintupled their estimate if our impervious surfaces.

Anonymous wrote:Not only did the hike this fee up, they "reassessed" our property and quintupled their estimate if our impervious surfaces.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A "massive" increase of $2.37 per month.

I simply can't imagine how anyone will possibly manage to come up with the extra 7.9 cents per day this will cost them. I fear many people will have to resort to selling their bodies to come up with that kind of cash, and those lucky enough to somehow scrimp and save the nickel and three pennies will be forced into the cruelest fate of all - choosing between paying the water bill or buying a single individually wrapped Werther's Original at the five and dime.

This was my reaction too, but from the upperNW neighborhood liserservs, you would think this is enough to drive hordes of bluehairs out of the District once and for all.

That’s not what upper NW folks are upset about.

They are upset about the multiplier of the $24 charge. It used to just be $24/month and now many people will have a 3.8 multiplier, so it’s $91/month.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here, surprised some posters think the jump is no big deal. The $$ amount is not the issue, though annoying as raises my CRIAC charge by about $25/mo. The issue is why this specific item is jumping so much, while none of the other charges on our monthly bill are going up nearly as much, and this item actually declined from 24 to 25.

Where is the explanation and the accountability? Are we all just do used to DC randomly screwing residents with fees and taxes that we just blame the people asking questions, rather than the politicians who are spending more and more of our money?

this ppt of DC water proposed budget https://www.dcwater.com/sites/default/files/finance/rates/BudgetReviewDocs/Proposed%20FY%202025%20Budget.pdf has no explanation of the rationale for the increase

The explanation is not explicit, but it is there.

DC Water has a massive and increasing amount of debt to service and the cost of servicing that debt is increasing (I wonder if being financially independent from the DC government increases those costs).

Some of the projects that created that debt - replacing lead pipes - are worthwhile. Some - such as the new HQ building - seem downright wasteful. Others - such as cleaning up the rivers - are worthwhile but should not be left to DC residents alone to pay for.

Of course, DC Water’s payroll is bloated and it’s easier for management to raise rates than it is to fire people. Absent a massive outcry, the Board is always going to approve a rate increase rather than insist that DC Water rationalize their costs.

The projections in the budget are scary. DC residents water costs are going to rise sharply in the coming years.

DC Water only became an independent public entity in 1996. Spinning it off from the city government probably seemed like a good idea at that time. But I’m not sure it looks like such a great idea now. The Board structure makes it essentially unaccountable to DC residents, who are bearing the costs of its profligacy.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here, surprised some posters think the jump is no big deal. The $$ amount is not the issue, though annoying as raises my CRIAC charge by about $25/mo. The issue is why this specific item is jumping so much, while none of the other charges on our monthly bill are going up nearly as much, and this item actually declined from 24 to 25.

Where is the explanation and the accountability? Are we all just do used to DC randomly screwing residents with fees and taxes that we just blame the people asking questions, rather than the politicians who are spending more and more of our money?

this ppt of DC water proposed budget https://www.dcwater.com/sites/default/files/finance/rates/BudgetReviewDocs/Proposed%20FY%202025%20Budget.pdf has no explanation of the rationale for the increase

The explanation is not explicit, but it is there.

DC Water has a massive and increasing amount of debt to service and the cost of servicing that debt is increasing (I wonder if being financially independent from the DC government increases those costs).

Some of the projects that created that debt - replacing lead pipes - are worthwhile. Some - such as the new HQ building - seem downright wasteful. Others - such as cleaning up the rivers - are worthwhile but should not be left to DC residents alone to pay for.

Of course, DC Water’s payroll is bloated and it’s easier for management to raise rates than it is to fire people. Absent a massive outcry, the Board is always going to approve a rate increase rather than insist that DC Water rationalize their costs.

The projections in the budget are scary. DC residents water costs are going to rise sharply in the coming years.

DC Water only became an independent public entity in 1996. Spinning it off from the city government probably seemed like a good idea at that time. But I’m not sure it looks like such a great idea now. The Board structure makes it essentially unaccountable to DC residents, who are bearing the costs of its profligacy.

Anonymous wrote:OP here, surprised some posters think the jump is no big deal. The $$ amount is not the issue, though annoying as raises my CRIAC charge by about $25/mo. The issue is why this specific item is jumping so much, while none of the other charges on our monthly bill are going up nearly as much, and this item actually declined from 24 to 25.

Where is the explanation and the accountability? Are we all just do used to DC randomly screwing residents with fees and taxes that we just blame the people asking questions, rather than the politicians who are spending more and more of our money?

this ppt of DC water proposed budget https://www.dcwater.com/sites/default/files/finance/rates/BudgetReviewDocs/Proposed%20FY%202025%20Budget.pdf has no explanation of the rationale for the increase

Anonymous wrote:Look at this: https://www.dcwater.com/sites/default/files/finance/rates/BudgetReviewDocs/Proposed%20FY%202025%20Budget.pdf

Per page 12, DC Water is budgeting $210 million in staff costs for 1,325 FTEs. That’s $158k per staff member. Yowza.

And then they’re spending another $100 million on contractors.

Their debt service is also $250 million (and projected to rise to $433 million by 2033), which is nuts.

The projected rate increases are on page 38. Things are only going to get worse.

I don’t know who or how, but someone - the next mayor? - needs to tear this whole boondoggle down and start anew.