WATER BOARD ADJUSTS RATES FOR 2008 Saturday, September 06, 2008 | 56 ° Scattered Clouds   Rate Changes Effective January 1, 2008    In September, Denver’s Board of Water Commissioners voted to adjust water rates.  The five-member Board reviewed several rate options aimed at covering rising costs while encouraging more water conservation by charging lower rates for lower use and higher rates for higher use.  The effects of the decision on customers’ bills will vary depending upon the amount of water the customer uses and whether the customer lives inside the city or is served by a suburban distributor under contract with Denver Water.  An average Denver residential customer -- who uses 120,000 gallons per year -- will see bills increase by $13.32 a year.  Average suburban customers served by Denver Water -- who use 160,000 -- will see an increase of $21.44 per year.       Rates for Denver Water customers living inside the city remain among the lowest in the metro area, while rates for Denver Water customers in the suburbs still fall below the median among area water providers. The water department needs an additional $9.7 million in revenue to cover rising costs associated with maintaining, improving and expanding the city’s water system.  Upcoming projects include treatment plant enhancements, upgrades to aging infrastructure, a long-term water supply project in the Moffat Collection System, and more conservation education and incentive programs for customers.  The additional revenue will also improve cash reserves used as “insurance” against unexpected events like Hayman Fire watershed recovery work. The Board also voted to reclassify customers with dedicated outdoor irrigation taps. These customers -- primarily commercial, industrial and governmental -- will be reclassified into a new “Other Irrigation” customer class. Some irrigation-only customers, generally homeowner associations, were placed into a Single Family Residential Common Area Irrigation class earlier this year. Beginning in 2008, customers in the new Other Irrigation class will pay seasonal water rates that are up to 10% higher than what they currently pay during the summer.  Rates for this customer class will be adjusted over the next three years to better approximate both the consumption characteristics and true cost of providing service to outdoor irrigation-only taps.  A full listing of the rate changes will be posted on Denver Water’s web site, www.denverwater.org. Posted on Tuesday, January 01, 2008 Posted by AlanD  Contributed by AlanD Return

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Announcements 7th Annual Four Mile Fling Four Mile Historic Park’s annual fund-raiser is Sunday, September 14th from 5:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.  The event includes dinner, a silent auction and games.  First Time Homebuyer Information Get information about buying your first home and find out details about available homes in the Stapleton area under the HomeStart program. The conference is September 20. Free Day at Denver Museum of Nature and Science Learn about and celebrate the nature, science and culture of Latin America September 7 at the Denver Museum of Nature & Science. Community Emergency Response Training Be prepared to help professional responders in case a disaster hits close to home. This 16 hour training course is free. Parks & Rec Wants Public Input on Rec Centers Denver residents are being asked to help decide the future of the City's rec centers. The Parks & Recs Department is hosting a series of public meetings to gather public comment.   I Get Around Get healthy while you explore Denver's premier attractions, during Convention week and beyond—all at zero carbon impact on our environment! View map (7.3MB PDF)     Deadline Extended to Nominate 150 of City's Extraordinary This November on the city''s 150th anniversary,  Mayor Hickenlooper will honor Denver's 150 .  Nominate people who are doing something extraordinary that is making the City a better place.   Build a Better Denver Citizens can follow progress on neighborhood bond projects. Visit the Better Denver website focusing to learn about capital maintenance, health and safety, transportation, libraries and cultural facilities and parks and recreation infrastructure. More Announcements      1 2