SACRAMENTO – Assemblymember Dave Jones (D-Sacramento) joined ratepayers today in requesting a rebate of rates and an audit of the Fruitridge Vista Water Company.  Customers and ratepayers of the water company, which has been cited repeatedly for violations, rallied today in south Sacramento to demand a rebate of their rates and an audit of the water company.

“Fruitridge Vista Water Company raised rates on its customers 10 months ago but still has not connected to a reliable, high quality source of water as promised,” said Jones.  “I join the customers and ratepayers in their request for a rebate and for an audit to determine how their money is being spent.”

Jones released a letter today calling on Fruitridge Vista to rebate the rate increases it imposed on its south Sacramento customers and released a separate letter asking the Public Utilities Commission to audit the private water company. 

Jones noted that FVWC agreed to establish a connection with the City of Sacramento as part of a ‘comprehensive settlement agreement’ it struck with local developers and the County early last year.  The agreement was approved by the PUC on April 27, 2006 . Customers’ rates were increased shortly thereafter even though the water company has not yet connected to city water.

“The recent fire at the Goodwill Warehouse last month revealed that water pressure is still dangerously low,” said Jones.  “It took a fire to get Fruitridge Vista Water Company, after ten months of delay, finally to enter into an agreement to connect to city water but the agreement is silent on when the connection will actually occur.  In the meantime, for ten months and counting ratepayers are paying for something that they are not getting—a connection that ensures that there is sufficient water pressure and water quality in the system.”