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FAQ

Q: What is the breakdown of the $60.00 monthly bill? 

A: $26 – USDA loan payment
    $11 – Operations
    $23 – Maintenance (water

Q: What is the breakdown of your $37.00 monthly bill? 

A: $26 – USDA loan payment
    $11 – Operations

Q: How many customers do we have and how much do each pay? 

A: 510 customers pay $60.00 (connected to water)
    41 customers pay $37.00 (not connected to water)
    1 customer pays $61.50 (commercial connected to water

Q: Is everybody in the water system accounted for 

A: 21 lot owners identified in our recent audit that were not in our system:
$37.00 X 21 = $777.00 per month, $9324.00 per year, $111,888.00 over the last 12 years since the loan was obtained.

Q: Why do I have to pay $37.00 now if I never had to pay before? 

A: We recently performed an audit and we discovered your lot was not in our billing system. Our USDA loan states each lot owner within the boundaries of Barlow Water Improvement District must pay an equal share of the loan payment

Q: Is this legal? 

A: ORS 554.080 outlines the powers of water districts and specifically states that water districts have the power to prescribe, fix, make and charge and collect from the water users or those who receive the benefit of the corporation, rates, tolls, fees, fines and charges for the maintenance and operation of the corporation, for use of the water, or for use of any of the works of the corporation.

Q: Why do I have to pay if I don’t receive anything from you. 

A: Your property value is higher than it would be if it did not have water available to your lot. You also receive fire protection, which provides for lower insurance rates. Even members who do not currently use water will benefit from the maintenance and improvements when they receive water in the future

Q: What is the amount original amount of the USDA loan? 

A: $2,707,000.00

Q: What is the monthly payment for our USDA loan? 

A: $11,826.00
 

Q: When will the loan be paid in full? 

A: 2047

Q: Who approved the system improvement project and when? 

A: The membership at the annual Board meeting in June 2005.