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SACRAMENTO – Last spring the Joint Legislative Audit Committee approved a request by Senator Scott Wilk, 21st Senate District, and Assemblyman Tom Lackey, 38th Assembly District, for a complete audit and review of the California Public Utilities Commission’s rate setting process in regards to investor owned utilities that serve California’s water users. Senator Wilk issued the following statement:
“It is pretty clear there is a lack of transparency and accountability when it comes to the rate setting process. Private water companies do not consistently adhere to public notification procedures, nor does the CPUC hold them to the requirements. In one instance, Antelope Valley ratepayers received a two-day notice of a hearing - hardly time to effectively weigh-in on anything, let alone something as complicated as a rate increase. The CPUC has agreed to address the auditor’s concerns within the next six months and I will definitely be holding them to that promise.”
The auditor pointed to three main areas of concern: lack of transparency, limited opportunity for public participation and non-adherence to auditing requirements.
The entire audit can be found on the California Auditor’s website: https://www.auditor.ca.gov/