Finding F5
The St. Helena City Council changed the St. Helena Water Enterprise’s fee structure in 2016 to implement a single water rate regardless of the location or type of customer. Prior to 2016, water rates included surcharges to offset the cost of pumping water to customers in elevated areas or customers outside the city limits. Therefore, the St. Helena Water Enterprise currently passes the additional costs on to all water ratepayers rather than those benefiting outside the city limits.
Jury report: Lapsed Leadership: St. Helena’s Problematic Pipes and Murky Waters · PDF page 25
Permanent linkOfficial response
City of St. Helena City Council
Partially disagrees: accepts 2016 changes but rejects a single undifferentiated rate and inherent inequity. Pages 11–12 describe 2023 Raftelis/advisory-committee tiered consumption rates and Proposition 218 cost-of-service constraints.
Read official response · PDF page 11Explicit disputed scope with concrete tier/cost explanation and identified 2023 process and law. Scoring engagement does not validate allocation fairness or the response’s legal interpretation.
This review evaluates the response document. Implementation claims have not been independently verified.