Report 2013-126 Recommendations

When an audit is completed and a report is issued, auditees must provide the State Auditor with information regarding their progress in implementing recommendations from our reports at three intervals from the release of the report: 60 days, six months, and one year. Additionally, Senate Bill 1452 (Chapter 452, Statutes of 2006), requires auditees who have not implemented recommendations after one year, to report to us and to the Legislature why they have not implemented them or to state when they intend to implement them. Below, is a listing of each recommendation the State Auditor made in the report referenced and a link to the most recent response from the auditee addressing their progress in implementing the recommendation and the State Auditor's assessment of auditee's response based on our review of the supporting documentation.

Recommendations in Report 2013-126: Antelope Valley Water Rates: Various Factors Contribute to Differences Among Water Utilities (Release Date: July 2014)

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Recommendations to California Water Service Company
Number Recommendation Status
7

To show water customers that they are attempting to keep rates reasonable, the California Water Service Company should maintain documentation to demonstrate any cost savings expected or achieved as a result of its cost-saving efforts.

Fully Implemented
Recommendations to Legislature
Number Recommendation Status
2

To provide guidance to local public agencies in implementing the notice requirements of Proposition 218, the Legislature should enact a statute that specifies the level of detail required to satisfy the requirement that the notice specify the basis upon which the amount of the proposed fee or charge was calculated.

No Action Taken
Recommendations to Los Angeles County Waterworks, District 40
Number Recommendation Status
3

To ensure that Los Angeles County Waterworks, District 40 can demonstrate that it complies with the public notification requirements of Proposition 218, it should retain documentation demonstrating that it mailed required Proposition 218 notifications of pass-through rate increases to water customers during the period that the increased rates are in effect.

Fully Implemented
8

To show water customers that they are attempting to keep rates reasonable, Los Angeles County Waterworks, District 40 should maintain documentation to demonstrate any cost savings expected or achieved as a result of its cost-saving efforts.

Fully Implemented
11

To assist low-income water customers, Los Angeles County Waterworks, District 40 should work with its governing body to consider the feasibility of using revenues from sources other than water rates to implement rate assistance programs for low-income water customers.

Fully Implemented
Recommendations to Palmdale Water District
Number Recommendation Status
9

To show water customers that they are attempting to keep rates reasonable, Palmdale Water District should maintain documentation to demonstrate any cost savings expected or achieved as a result of its cost-saving efforts.

Fully Implemented
12

To assist low-income water customers, Palmdale Water District should work with its governing body to consider the feasibility of using revenues from sources other than water rates to implement rate assistance programs for low-income water customers.

Fully Implemented
Recommendations to Quartz Hill Water District
Number Recommendation Status
1

To ensure that water customers are able to have an understanding of how rate increases are determined, Quartz Hill Water District should include information in its public notices providing reasonably sufficient details of the basis of its fee methodology.

Fully Implemented
4

To ensure that Quartz Hill Water District can demonstrate that it complies with the public notification requirements of Proposition 218, it should retain documentation demonstrating that it mailed required Proposition 218 notifications of pass-through rate increases to water customers during the period that the increased rates are in effect.

Fully Implemented
5

To ensure that water customers are aware of pass-through rate increases, Quartz Hill Water District should adopt a schedule of fees showing how these increases will affect its tiered usage charges before the new rates take effect.

Fully Implemented
6

To ensure that its water customers have access to Quartz Hill Water District's rate methodology and other factors that help it determine rate increases, the utility should keep all documentation it uses to calculate or otherwise explain the need for rate increases for as long as the rate increases are in effect.

Fully Implemented
10

To show water customers that they are attempting to keep rates reasonable, Quartz Hill Water District should maintain documentation to demonstrate any cost savings expected or achieved as a result of its cost-saving efforts.

Fully Implemented
13

To assist low-income water customers, Quartz Hill Water District should work with its governing body to consider the feasibility of using revenues from sources other than water rates to implement rate assistance programs for low-income water customers.

Will Not Implement


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