2. Background
2.1. Commission's Adoption of Pilot Tiered
Conservation Rate Designs
Water conservation is an explicit objective of the Commission,1 the Governor,2 and the State of California.3 To meet this objective the Commission has mandated that the larger investor-owned water utilities implement a series of pilot conservation rate designs involving increasing-block tiered water rates that impose higher rates as the volume of use rises past certain thresholds.4 These pilot designs are to be reviewed in each of the respective water utilities' General Rate Case (GRC).5 The pilot conservation rate design for the Golden State Water Company's (Company) Los Osos district, adopted in D.09-05-005, 6 has three tiers. The company-wide GRC at which it will be subject to review is scheduled to begin in July 2011.
2.2. Procedural History
The verified complaint, joined by 457 individual ratepayers residing in Los Osos, was filed on October 4, 2010. The answer by the Company was filed on November 3, 2010, as was its motion to dismiss the complaint. No response to the motion was filed.8
1 Water Action Plan (December 15, 2005), at 7; also, see Decision (D.) 08-02-036 and D.08-08-030.
2 In early 2008 Governor Schwarzenegger set a goal of 20% statewide per capita urban water use reduction by 2020. In late 2009 water conservation legislation was enacted, Senate Bill 7 (7th Ex. Sess.), adding new provisions (Sustainable Water Use and Demand Reduction) as §§ 10608-10853 of the California Water Code.
3 D.08-08-030.
4 See D.08-08-030, in Phase 1B of Investigation (I.) 07-01-022 (water conservation proceedings).
5 GRCs are conducted on a 3-year cycle.
6 Application (A.) 08-09-010.
7 Two of the complainants, Thomas and Suzanne M. Tallone, have requested to withdraw as parties and that request is hereby granted and their names have been removed from the caption.
8 Under Rule 11.1(e), Rules of Practice and Procedure, 15 days are allowed for responding to a motion.
