SAN DIEGO (KGTV)--The San Diego County Water Authority announced Thursday its board had adopted a $1.58 billion budget, which included a 3.7 percent increase in water rates to it's 24 member agencies.
The Water Authority said the rate increase, which it claimed is among the smallest in the past decade, will be passed on to customers at an amount determined by the individual agencies.
For example the amount of the increase passed on to Helix Water District customers may be different than those passed on to customers of the city of San Diego.
RELATED: San Diego County Water Authority proposes 3.7 water rate increase
"After emerging from five years of drought with greater water supply reliability than we had going in, this two-year-budget enables us to continue providing safe and reliable water at the lowest possible cost for our region's 3.3 million people and $222 billion economy, said Mark Muir, chair of the Water Authority's board.
Last month 10News talked with resident Dutch Berman who said his efforts to conserve water with low-flow faucets and drought-tolerant landscaping during California's drought helped lower his water bill, but he wasn't happy about a rate hike.
"I can't conserve anymore, I really can't," Berman said.
The newly adopted rates will take effect January 1, 2018.
Sandy Coronilla is a KGTV digital producer. Follow her @10NewsSandy
