Water Usage and Your Pocketbook
Folsom Lake Mutual Water Company (FLMWC) is a “mutual water”
corporation. A mutual water corporation is comprised of all its
members (you) for the mutual benefit of its members. Certain
Federal and California laws govern the operation of a mutual
water company and how assessments and benefits are handled.

FLMWC is also a non-profit corporation and needs to balance
income and expenses. The majority of FLMWC’s expenses are
from the purchase of water from Placer County Water Agency
(PCWA). Each year the cost for water increases and therefore the
rate FLWMC charges also increases.

FLMWC does not have individual meters for each house, but one
main meter that measures total water delivered by PCWA. The
cost for this water and other expenses is evenly divided among
its members to derive a monthly rate.

Another factor in the rates FLWMC charge its customers, is the
amount of water used. As the Board reviews historical usage
and current purchase rates, they try to set the monthly rate so
that there are even payments over the year to cover all
expenses. Landscape watering is a major portion of water usage
and is directly affected by weather and how members water. As
often stated, we can’t control the weather, but we can manage
water usage.

Nearly all the newsletters sent to members over the years have
tried to remind members to “manage water usage”. There have
been suggestions on how much and how often to water a lawn,
tips on reducing water usage, reminders to check your
controllers and not to water during rain and a few days
afterwards, and not to run water in the street. All these
suggestions were made to members to help save money and
minimize future rate increases.

The Board would like all its members to be diligent in its use of
water. Occasionally someone on the Board may call a member
to inform them of a possible water issue. They are just trying to
be diligent. If you notice water being wasted (a break, lots of
water running in the street, someone’s sprinklers not operating
properly), please call the Watermaster (check your Walden Woods
phone directory) to check it out – we all pay for wasted water.

The next newsletter will include details on how to properly water
a lawn, but in the meantime, lawns should not be watered
everyday – it wastes water and is not healthy. We are only in the
spring, but some lawns are being watered everyday.

Water Boxes
Do you know where your connection to FLMWC is located? Do
you know that there are usually two connections to FLWMC for
each home? Originally Walden Woods had separate drinking
(wells) and irrigation (Folsom Lake) water, so there are two
connections. Today it is all the same water, but the system still
supports two connections. This may change in the future as the
system is upgraded (maintained) and to eliminate pressure
problems associated with the smaller drinking water piping.

The connection from the FLMWC facilities to the house facilities
is made in a water box usually located on the property line
between you and your neighbor, but not always. Its distance
from the street varies, but is usually on the edge of one’s
property along the county road (10 feet or so from the edge of
the road). The paved portion of the road is about 30 feet, but
the actual county portion of the road is 50 feet wide, so in most
cases your property does not start at the edge of the road but
10 feet back

It is important to keep your water box clear of dirt, rock, bushes,
and trees and to not cover the box. At times a member can’t
turn off their water (missing or broken shut off valve) and
FLMWC needs to access the shut off valve in the box. FLMWC has
been working since last year to find covered water boxes – some
have been covered with almost 2 feet of dirt. If FLMWC can’t
find your water box and there is a water break, FLMWC will have
to turn the water off to all customers to make repairs.

Please do not plant trees or shrub near water boxes. Trees grow
and their roots end up damaging the piping causing breaks.
Last year it cost you $3500 to fix damage to a service line
caused by a tree planted too close.

If you need assistance locating your water box, please call
FLMWC.

Fire Hydrants
Do you have a fire hydrant near your property? Please keep all
shrubs and bushes 3 feet from the fire hydrant. In support of
fire district policies, FLMWC will clear any obstacles that
homeowners don’t remove.

Call 811 Before You Dig!!
You may have heard this on the news a week ago that a new 811
service became available. Before you dig, instead of trying to
find the number for Underground Service Alert (USA), you can
now just call 811. All the utility companies, including FLMWC,
will be notified and they will come out (within 2 business days)
and mark their underground utilities. You do still need to mark
in white paint where you are going to dig. Some utilities have
their lines going all the way to the house, or like FLMWC, to the
connector (water) box.

You need to call 811 for all underground excavation work – even
planting trees. If you don’t call and get lines marked and hit a
utility line, you can be liable for the repairs.


Board Vacancies
FLMWC is looking for 2 people to fill board positions. Board
meetings are every other month for 2 hours. Please volunteer
your time and contact Alan Johnston (652-2088) if you are
interested.

Rates
The following are the current rates for customers:


Monthly fee for connected lots $75
Annual fee for unconnected lots $130
Pool fill/refill $25

Payment is due 30 days from invoice. Any billing questions
please call Audrey Hinge at 652-0505.


A newsletter from PCWA, from whom we purchase our water,
may be enclosed.