SAN DIEGO -- Residents who live in the Helix Water District are preparing themselves for increases of more than 20 percent to their water rates, 10News reported.

La Mesa resident John McClure's front yard is more garden than grass.

"When we left the other house, we left the lawnmower," said McClure.

Nevertheless, McClure cut his water use but he is not too excited about paying more for what little water he does use.

"Come on, this isn't a business; it's a utility. It's something that we need," said McClure.

McClure lives in the Helix Water District, which is proposing an increase in residents' water bills.

Mark Weston of the Helix Water District said, "Unfortunately, it's a very large increase for our customers this year, unprecedented."

Helix Water District officials said the increase is necessary because their operating costs have gone up and it is more expensive to import water.

Helix is not alone, as almost all 24 water districts in San Diego County have or are considering water rate increases.

Those districts include:

Otay Water -- almost 20 percent

Sweetwater -- 17.8 percent

Fallbrook -- 12.6 percent

The largest district in the county, San Diego, has not decided on water rate increases yet.

Even though customers are conserving, chances are good that water bills will go up significantly.

"You want us to pay more for less water?" asked 10News' Joe Little.

"Absolutely, that's what we have been telling them," said Weston.

Even with the El Nino winter the county is expecting, water officials said the increased rain totals will not decrease bills next year. Officials said there is no guarantee water will get cheaper in the long term.

"Very seldom do we have the luxury of reducing our rates," said Weston.

McClure said he isn't surprised.

"What government entity has ever gone backwards? Come on, that doesn't happen," said McClure.

A final decision on Helix's water increase won't be made until the board votes on Aug. 19.