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If you want 100% of your donation to go to UCAN's Water Project, then CLICK HERE!
Pat Zaharopoulos, Esq. and Murtaza H. Baxamusa named to UCAN's Board of Directors
UCAN has named Pat Zaharopoulos, Esq. and Dr. Murtaza H. Baxamusa to its Board of Directors. Details.
Send Us Your Water Customer Service Complaints!
In dealing with the San Diego Water Department’s Customer Service Representatives, have you been the victim of one of the following:
Water Bill Self Help Directory
Did your water bill double or triple for no apparent reason? Are you suspicious that the City isn’t reading your meter? Want to know why your water bill remains the same even when you go on vacation? Read our Water Bill Self Help Directory to learn about your water bill and how to keep it as low as possible.
Keep an eye out for double water bills
Don't be alarmed if you see a high number on your water bill this month. Due to an "internal error" inside the water department, some July bills were not sent out as scheduled. This was about the time they switched to the new billing system so I'm assuming they experienced some glitches.
The Water Department doesn't want to talk to you
There's no worse feeling than having a person hang up on you. Except, of course, having an automated message saying you can't talk to a person and then hanging up on you. And that's what you'll get if you call the City of San Diego water department.
Water Pricing Forum on Oct. 6th
UCAN, Surfrider, Coastkeeper, and other environmental organizations have joined up to provide the public with an informative forum on water pricing. The event takes place at 2508 Historic Decatur Rd. Suite 200 at 6:30pm on Oct. 6th.
How To Read Your City of San Diego Water Bill - Why is my bill so high?
With the most current round of UCAN's inserts in the City of San Diego water bills, our phones have been lighting up like the Christmas tree at Rockefeller Center. One thing we've noticed is that many people do not know how to read their water bill. The callers can definitely see how expensive their water bill is each month, but they don't know what each line item represents. We can help break though all the confusion, but we have to warn you that you can't unsee the horrors that are the Four Horsemen of the Water Bill.
How to make sure your new sewer service charge is correct
You've probably already noticed that the format of your water bill has changed, but don't be suprised to see a few of the numbers change as well. July 1 is the date that your new annualized sewer service charge comes into effect. If you're suspicious about the figure on your bill, you can use this rough guide to verify that your charge is correct.
John Mattes is an embedded reporter for the New Media Rights Community Journalism Project investigating UCAN issues.
Water Rate Increase 2007
The City of San Diego is committed to increasing water and sewer rates for the 2008 fiscal year. The current proposal leaves many questions to be answered regarding rate structure and the disproportionate increase of rates for some customer classes, while others receive reductions.
Sewer Refund Settlement 2006
After over two years of litigation, the City and UCAN's Executive Director Michael Shames have agreed to a settlement that would return about $40 million to overcharged residential customers and, perhaps more importantly, allow for the creation of independent oversight of City water and sewer operations. Check out this Issue Center for everything you need to know about the refund!
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Utility Consumers' Action Network - (619) 696-6966
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UCAN.org is made available by the Utility Consumers' Action Network to assist you in becoming what you always knew you could be: a consumer ROCK STAR! We take no corporate money, and are beholden only to you, the consumer. As such, the site is here for educational, advocacy, and empowerment purposes, as well to to give you general information and a general understanding of the law. Just remember this site is NOT here to provide specific legal advice. By using this web site you of course understand that there is no attorney-client relationship between you and the Web Site publisher, UCAN. The Web Site should not be used as a substitute for competent legal advice from a licensed professional attorney in your state.
That said, get to digging on the site, inform yourself, speak your mind, and earn Watchdog Bones! This is YOUR site, and we mean it. So comment on any of the content, discuss the latest issues in the forums, file a complaint on a company with the Fraud Squad, and generally cut loose.
See our Terms of Use, Privacy, and Copyright complaint policies as well as our Content Reuse Policy, Some Rights Reserved. Remember, if you have any questions about copyright law or need legal information regarding intellectual property, the internet, or new technologies, visit our affiliate New Media Rights at www.newmediarights.org. If you are in the San Diego region, you can also can apply to use New Media Rights' multimedia studio and equipment for free.
