ITEM:		ACTION ITEM
8.	CONSIDER ESTABLISHMENT OF FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM TO ASSIST LOW-INCOME HOUSEHOLDS TO COMPLY WITH DISTRICT ORDINANCE NO. 3 AND RULE 54 REQUIRING METERING AND REPORTING OF PRIVATELY OWNED WELLS
Meeting Date:			July 15, 2024	Budgeted:	No
From:			David J. Stoldt	Program/	2-5-3
			General Manager	Line Item:	B2
Prepared By:			Jonathan Leer	Cost Estimate:	$3,000
General Counsel Review: N/A
Committee Recommendation: N/A
CEQA Compliance: This action does not constitute a project as defined by the California Environmental Quality Act Guidelines section 15378.

SUMMARY: The District’s Rule56 requires registration, metering, and annual reporting of meter reads for all wells in the District. Privately owned wells are required to report meter reads at the end of September each year. District staff is required to report the production records each year to the General Manager and the District Board. Periodically when compiling the production reports, District staff notices that a meter is no longer functional. When this occurs, District staff works with the land owner to have the meter repaired or replaced. It is the responsibility and at the cost of the well owner to replace the meter or the property and allow District staff to perform a meter inspection. If the meter is removed or the broken meter is not replaced the property is out of compliance with District Rule 54. If the property remains out of compliance with Rule 54, a notice of non-compliance is filed at the Monterey County Recorders Office.

From time to time when meters stop working, property owners have indicated that the cost of installing or replacing a broken meter on a well would create a financial hardship for their household. District staff is seeking to create a fund and mechanism to help households in this situation. The average cost to replace or install a meter is around $500 and based on past interactions with well owners would be only a handful of meters a year, is any. M1W has a financial assistance program for assisting low-income households. M1W requires proof of income in the form of a tax filing or enrolment into PG&E low-income assistance prior to offering financial support. The thresholds for household income are adjusted each year by M1W to the economic environment. District staff proposes to adopt the same proof of income and use the annual household income qualifying table M1W uses to offer financial assistance to comply with District Rule 54. The current table used by M1W is attached as Exhibit 8 A. This item was not included in the recent budget preparation but is a small line item and can be added in the mid-year budget adjustment. If this program is adopted, the line item will be added to subsequent budgets.

RECOMMENDATION: Direct the General Manager to establish a financial assistance program to assist low-income households to comply with District Rule 54.

EXHIBIT

8-A M1W Residential Low-Income Sewer Assistance Program 2024 Income Limits.

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