Encinitas businesses brace for rising water bills

The Encinitas City Council approved a rate hike for the San Dieguito Water District that will spike bills over the next three years.

A 9% increase takes effect July 1, with more spikes each of the following two years, though officials will not set the size of those increases until later.

The report detailing the causes for the increase cites multiple reasons. The main one is the limited capacity at Lake Hodges Reservoir, the cheapest local water source in Encinitas.

As ABC 10News reported in 2022, the 100-year-old-plus dam is in such bad shape that state regulators require the water level to be kept significantly lower than its standard capacity. Despite consecutive strong rain seasons, some water has been periodically released into the ocean rather than stored.

The loss of that water has forced San Dieguito to replace it with more expensive sources, including the Metropolitan Water District, which brings water from Northern to Southern California. Metropolitan has increased its rates in recent years.

“You can only raise your prices so much. It’s already expensive to live in Encinitas," Jolly Clean Giant Laundry manager Jerry Johnson said.

Johnson says their bills are already between $2,300 and $3,200 each month. The new increase will cost thousands of dollars annually. Johnson says they will have to pass some of that cost on to customers who may be unable to afford it.

“80% of our clientele is lower income. So when we have to increase prices, I promise you I hear about it," Johnson said.