


“Could we always do more?” Stanfield said. “Obviously, if somebody felt like they were surprised, there may be some more we could have done,” Ferons said.īut he and Nicole Stanfield, a spokesperson for the water district, say they’ve gotten the word out through individual meetings, newsletters and community outreach efforts that resulted in “quite a bit of informing.” “I don’t know any individual or business that would be able to withstand even a 10% impact after a pandemic, recession and inflation at this point,” said Sara Booth, a Shea Center staff member, in a Wednesday interview.įerons defended the district’s public messaging about the increases in a June 16 phone interview.

The Shea Center – a nonprofit dedicated to assisting disabled people with horse therapy – is projecting the new rates mean $30,000 in additional water payments a year, and increases of over 700% on portions of their bill.
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Like This Free Civic News? Support Voice of OC Today. Ĭity officials didn’t want to discuss their management of the water system with Voice of OC.īut the water district’s effort to get things back on track again – by raising millions for capital improvements through rate increases – has led to widespread concerns among some local businesses and nonprofits. Subscribe to Voice of OC's Free Newsletter The Morning Report Today.
