WATER RATE HIKES ON TAP FOR A.V.; MEETING TONIGHT.

Byline: Charles F. Bostwick Staff Writer

LANCASTER - Water bills would go up by 15.6 percent to 21.9 percent for many residents of Lancaster, west Palmdale, Lake Los Angeles and other Antelope Valley communities under a Los Angeles County proposal.

Los Angeles County Waterworks officials said they must raise water rates to make up for increases in wholesale water prices and electric bills since the most recent rate increase, 17 years ago, county officials said..

``Those types of things have been draining our balance that we keep,'' said Greg Even, a senior civil engineer with the Los Angeles County Waterworks District.

The proposed rate hikes, the first since August 1985, are expected to be put before the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors by the end of July. If approved, they would take effect in August.

Community meetings about the rate hikes were held last week in Lake Los Angeles, Lancaster and Palmdale. The last of the meetings is scheduled at 6:30 tonight at the Alpine Grange Hall, 8650 E. Ave. T-8, Littlerock.

The Waterworks district supplies water to most of west Palmdale, most of Lancaster, Lake Los Angeles, Sun Village, Pearblossom and Littlerock.

The proposed rate increases are different for different areas because it is more expensive to supply communities at higher altitudes - where water must be pumped higher - and where more water comes from the California Aqueduct rather than wells, Even said.

Under the proposals, county officials say, typical bills would go up 15.6 percent in Lancaster, 18.6 percent in Lake Los Angeles, 19.05 percent in Palmdale and 21.9 percent in Pearblossom, Littlerock and Sun Village.

Since the previous rate hike, Even said, electricity prices for the district's pumps have gone up 33.4 percent.

The Antelope Valley-East Kern Water Agency, which provides the California Aqueduct water that supplies about 60 percent of the Waterworks district total, raised its price 29.4 percent this year, Even said.