Attachment A - Public Hearing 2023 Update.pdf
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Page 1 of 5 ATTACHMENT A City of Phoenix Water Services Department Proposed Water Revenues: Outreach and Communication The Water Services Department conducted extensive public outreach to present information and obtain feedback for the proposed increase to water service revenues. During the months of March – June 2023, the Water Services Department engaged in the following efforts: • Public meetings: o April 27 at 6:00 p.m. – Virtual (English) o May 4 at 6:00 p.m. – In-person (bi-lingual) o May 9 at 6:00 p.m. – In-person (bi-lingual) o May 15 at 6:00 p.m. – Virtual (Spanish) o May 23 at 6:00 p.m. – In-person (bi-lingual) o May 25 at 6:00 p.m. – In-person (bi-lingual) o June 10 at 11:00 a.m. – In-person (bi-lingual) Video recordings of public meetings in English and Spanish available on www.phoenix.gov/proposedrates • 15 Presentations and Questions/Answers at Village Planning Committees (VPCs): o March 20 – Laveen VPC o March 21– Estrella Village Planning Committee o March 28 – Alhambra VPC o April 3 – Encanto VPC o April 4 – Desert View VPC o April 11 – South Mountain VPC o April 12 – Maryvale VPC o April 13 – North Gateway VPC o April 17 – Central City VPC o April 19 – North Mountain VPC o April 20 – Deer Valley VPC o April 24 – Ahwatukee Foothills VPC o May 1 – Paradise Valley VPC o May 2 – Camelback East VPC o May 9 – Rio Vista VPC • 6 Meetings Requested by City Council Offices: o April 20 at 8:30 a.m. – Coffee Chat – District 3 o April 24 at 6:00 p.m. – Community Meeting – District 1 Attachment A City of Phoenix Water Services Department Proposed Water Revenues: Outreach and Communication Page 2 of 5 o April 26 at 6:00 p.m. – Leaders Meeting – District 5 o May 30 at 6 p.m. – Community Meeting – District 4 o May 31 at 10 a.m. – Community Meeting – District 1 o June 7 at 6 p.m. – Community Meeting – District 4 • Additional Community Outreach: • April 21 at 10:00 a.m. – Women in Leadership • May 18 at 6 p.m. – Greater Green Gables HOA Outreach: • A new webpage was created for the proposed rate increase at phoenix.gov/proposedrates. The page has been continuously updated as needed. • An email address (watersmart@phoenix.gov) was advertised to the public for comments and concerns. • Educational information was posted on Water Services and City of Phoenix social media accounts (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Nextdoor) • A one-page fact sheet in English and Spanish was posted on www.phoenix.gov/proposedrates on March 2023. • Article appeared in the PAYS newsletter for the months of April and May. • Bill Messages on the City Services Bill about the proposed rate increase in April and May • Sent a postcard via regular mail to all residential and commercial customers who receive their City Services bill by mail and sent an email to all customers who receive their bill electronically. • A newsroom story was posted on phoenix.gov on March 16, 2023. • Sent a news release to all local media on March 16, 2023, and again in May to promote the in-person public meetings. • The Phoenix.gov homepage and Water Dept. slider added in March 2023. • The Notice of Intent (NOI) to raise Water Rates was posted on the City of Phoenix website. • Newsletter articles in the Library and Neighborhood Services newsletters. • Phoenix City Hall elevator digital displays. • The water rate estimator was updated on the www.phoenix.gov/rates website. • Created a website public comment form asking people for feedback about the proposed rate increase. Attachment A City of Phoenix Water Services Department Proposed Water Revenues: Outreach and Communication Page 3 of 5 • Produced and distributed flyers/handouts, postcards at all public meetings and community outreach events. • Trained the Water Wranglers to demonstrate the rates estimator for attendees at public meetings. Media promotion: • 12 News – television interview on March 17, 2023. • KTAR – radio mention on March 19, 2023. • Daily Independent – digital article on March 19, 2023. • FOX 10 – television mention and digital story on March 20, 2023. • ABC15 Arizona – television interview and digital story on March 20, 2023. • KTAR – radio interview on March 20, 2023. • Univision – television interview on March 20, 2023. (Spanish) • Arizona’s Family – television interview on March 20, 2023. • The Center Square – digital article on March 21, 2023. • Cronkite News – television interview and digital article on March 27, 2023. (Shared by multiple outlets including Phoenix Business Journal) • Ahwatukee Foothills News – digital article on April 30, 2023. • Arizona’s Family – television interview on May 3, 2023. • Cronkite News – television interview on May 4, 2023. • 12 News – digital article on May 4, 2023. • KTAR – radio interview on May 4, 2023. • Telemundo Arizona – television interview on May 4, 2024. (Spanish) • Univision – television interview on May 8, 2023. (Spanish) • La Onda | Enlace – radio interview on May 11, 2023. • The Notice of Intent to raise Water Rates published in Arizona Business Gazette (English). • GroceryTV: A 15 second video in English and Spanish promoting the water revenue increase placed in Food City and Bashas stores (18 locations) April 6, 2023 – June 28, 2023. Overall Feedback: • The public outreach included touch points from in-person meetings and the creation of the online comment form. Attachment A City of Phoenix Water Services Department Proposed Water Revenues: Outreach and Communication Page 4 of 5 • Reached over 440 participants at public meetings, which generated 200 comments and received nearly 414 comments from the online comment form. Based on feedback gained during public outreach efforts, it appears that residents are generally understanding of why the proposed rate increase is needed. o Residents were generally understanding of the need for a rate increase. Many people do not understand how charges are calculated for water and wastewater services. Some people think Phoenix needs higher water rates to motivate people to conserve water. Many people are concerned about being able to afford the higher rates because of their fixed incomes. Some people said the changes to the water allowance will impact them significantly and they think the new allowance levels are unrealistic. Others think that commercial, industrial, and institutional customers should pay more for water service, so the residential customers pay less. On Jan. 26, 2023, the citizens’ Water/Wastewater Rate Advisory Committee unanimously voted to recommended: • Water rate revenue increases of 6.5 percent effective Oct. 2023, 6.5 percent effective March 2024, and 13 percent effective March 2025; by a vote of 9-0. • Wastewater rate revenue increases of 6.5 percent effective Oct. 2023, 6.5 percent effective March 2024, and 7 percent effective March 2025, by a vote of 9-0. • Decrease the current water allowance from 600 cubic feet (6 units) per month to 500 (5 units) from Oct. to May and from 1000 (10 units) to 800 (8 units) from June to Sept., by a vote of 9-0. On Feb. 15, 2023, the City Council Transportation, Infrastructure and Planning Subcommittee heard information on water resources, infrastructure, and financial plans and provided comment to the Water Services and Finance departments. At the April 18, 2023, Policy meeting, the City Council voted to adopt the Notice of Intention to consider increases in water rate revenues (noted below) and set a public hearing for the June 28, 2023, Formal meeting. • 6.5 percent effective Oct. 2023, 6.5 percent effective March 2024, and 13 percent effective March 2025; by a vote of 6 yes, 2 no, and 1 absent. Attachment A City of Phoenix Water Services Department Proposed Water Revenues: Outreach and Communication Page 5 of 5 • Wastewater rate revenue increases of 6.5 percent effective Oct. 2023, 6.5 percent effective March 2024, and 7 percent effective March 2025; by a vote of 6 yes, 2 no, and 1 absent. • Decrease the current water allowance from 600 cubic feet (6 units) per month to 500 (5 units) from Oct. to May and from 1000 (10 units) to 800 (8 units) from June to Sept., by a vote of 6 yes, 2 no, and 1 absent.