A reader responds to Editor Brad Kava’s January editor’s note by sharing a personal experience with the Soquel Water District after an undetected underground pipe leak led to a significantly higher water bill. While the district reduced the charge through its leak rebate program, the writer questions whether local government agencies should do more to protect customers from unexpected costs tied to infrastructure failures beyond their control, and raises broader concerns about fairness, accountability, and monopolies in essential public services.
Dear Editor,
Brad, thank you! No you are not crazy. Yes accurate records but no records on our pipes. Yes, I had a leak, replaced galvanized with PVC. The mailings hammering us about usage are relentless. Yep, manpower used to check the water meters but it stops there! The meter reader knows. Old pipes are old pipes. Where are the records? We responded, low flow, and we are told but but but now increased infrastructure charges! Where was all the atmospheric river rains captured? I watched it running into the ocean.
Hey, Zuckerberg just bought another property in our Black’s Beach neighborhood. Swenson’s San Jose Prime Property management jacking up prices and old time tenants forced to leave. Big $$$ Bezos, Amazon Prime tearing up our blacktop. Delivering what can be bought at the Dollar Store. Robbing our local stores. And don’t get me started on sewage pipes into the bay.
Hey, Zuckerberg, Bezos, Colligan, spend the money. We have the Silicon Valley technology. State Farm with their drones inspecting my roof canceling my insurance. The Sunshine Special buried in the Santa Cruz mountains.
