RATES FOR WATER INCREASE IN REGION.

Byline: Kathleen Sweeney Staff Writer

SANTA CLARITA - The Santa Clarita Water Co. is raising rates slightly to help offset costs the company incurred during last year's energy crisis.

The Castaic Lake Water Agency board voted Wednesday to increase the company's water user rates by an average of about $2.45 a month. CLWA customers who receive water from other retailers won't be affected.

``We will collect the money we need and from there we'll be tracking this account,'' said Peter Kavounas, CLWA board vice president. ``If we are over-collecting, then were are going to lower the energy charge.''

When the state energy crisis erupted last year the Santa Clarita Water Co. broke down its bills to show customers how much they were spending on water and on energy, which included operating groundwater wells and booster pump stations. The water company is a division of the CLWA, a wholesaler of state water to the valley's water retailers.

The water company learned, on average, about 13 of 77 cents per 7,500 gallons of water was spent on energy. But the crisis was raising the energy rates and the company wasn't charging its customers.

While the company continued to monitor the crisis, Santa Clarita Water Co. officials dipped into savings to pay about $150,000 for energy charges that weren't collected, Kavounas said.

To replenish that reserve fund, officials are increasing energy rates from 13 to 21 cents per 7,500 gallons of water, officials said. Officials plan to monitor the fund throughout the year.

``We looked at total rates for retail customers and it's still the lowest in the valley,'' Kavounas said.

This is the second increase in rates for some Santa Clarita water users due to the energy crisis. CLWA raised residents' property tax rates last fall by 100 percent to pay bills brought on by the energy crisis.

Officials said the agency's bill increased from $2 million to $21 million, and the agency needed to pass on the increase.