Local water providers warn of drought effects; Golden State says no surcharges yet as production falls

Clearlake — Two water providers briefed the City Council on drought conditions, conservation actions and what customers might expect if conditions worsen.

Keith Hayhart, local superintendent for Golden State Water Company, told the council the company’s Schedule 14.1 Water Shortage Contingency Plan (filed with the CPUC) was triggered to Stage 2 after the governor’s executive order. Hayhart said Golden State is not seeking surcharges now and that the immediate goal of Stage 2 is to prompt customer conservation. He reported that weekly production is down roughly 37%–43% compared with 2020 and described a baseline health-and-safety number of about 50 gallons per person per day used to judge severe overuse.

"We hit Stage 2 ... when the executive order came out for mandatory Stage 2 rationing," Hayhart said, adding that surcharges would apply only to significant overuse and that the company would consider surcharges only if conditions deteriorate further.

Frank Costner, general manager of Knockdai County Water District, said his district (serving areas east of Highway 53) adopted a conservation plan in 2014 and activated it in 2021, moving to a Level 3 target that calls for a 35% reduction. Costner said customers reduced use by about 14% last year compared with 2020 and described practical steps the district has taken: a $657,000 grant to replace filter media, installation of a booster pump to reach deeper intake water and a package of roughly $15 million in grant-funded infrastructure projects — intake lines, a new treatment tank and a raw-water pump station — planned to improve resilience.

"As the droughts happen, the water quality gets really bad," Costner said. "Last year we spent about $85,000 in labor and chemical costs above budget." He added that lower lake levels increase treatment complexity and expense and that the district has deferred some maintenance to avoid immediate surcharges for customers.

Council members asked whether surcharges, rate adjustment mechanisms or tiered pricing could be triggered locally or by the state and how the customers would be notified. Hayhart said triggers can be a combination of state actions, company decisions and parent-company guidance; he offered to request clearer customer communications to remove confusion about pending surcharges and said RAM (rate-adjustment mechanisms) are temporary tools to recoup extraordinary costs.

Both providers said they are monitoring lake levels and supply, that the city itself does not control utilities, and that if the state curtails senior water rights that could force more stringent local measures. Neither provider announced immediate rate changes; both urged continued customer conservation and said they would inform customers if conditions change.