The East Bay Municipal Utility serves Berkeley and neighboring cities. The utility needs $1.5 billion worth of infrastructure improvements over the next 5 years, and the 10-year capital improvement plan outlines even greater needs.

•    Water System. $2.22 billion from 2008 to 2017

-    1/3 for extensions and improvements

-    1/3 for maintaining infrastructure

-    20 percent for water supply projects,  including $460 million on the Freeport Regional Water Project to ensure adequate water supplies during drought

•    Sewer System. $350 million from 2008 to 2017

-    96 percent to maintain infrastructure

To pay for all of these projects, the utility is increasing water and sewer rates.

•    4.9 percent water and 4 percent sewer rate increase in 2008

•    5.1 percent water and 3.75 percent sewer rate increase in 2009

•    And another 10 percent increase began August 1, 2008 as part of the city’s conservation efforts to reduce water use by 15 percent
 

California is in a drought, and the city is trying to do its part and reduce water use.

•    Conservation measures imposed in May 2008

-    Goal: 15 percent overall water use reduction. Single family homes expected to reduce consumption by 19 percent

-    First time since early 1990s the district has imposed rationing of water

-    Prohibited water uses: washing sidewalks, patios and similar hard surfaces; irrigating outdoors on consecutive days or more than three days a week; using potable water for decorative ponds, lakes and fountains; etc.

•    Reasons for the drought.

-    Two consecutive dry years and the driest spring on record

-    Reservoirs expected to be at about two-thirds of normal by October 1, 2008

-    Sierra Nevada snowpack, a key water source for California, at two-thirds of normal

The municipal utility is exploring other water supply options, including an expensive desalination project.

•    Project details

-    $450 to $700 million facility in planning stages

-    Expected 120 million gallons per day

-    Working with other Bay area water districts

•    Problems with desalination

-    Expensive: it is among the most expensive water supply options

-    Exacerbate global warming: it requires enormous amounts of energy to force ocean water through tiny membrane filters at high pressure in order to purify the water

-    Potential for corporate control and abuse, if the project is privatized

-    Threatens fisheries and marine environments: similar water intake structures kill at least 3.4 billion fish and other marine organisms a year. That’s $212.5 million in lost revenue to anglers and commercial fishermen