New fee to encourage Newbury Park residents to save more water

Wendy Leung 

4:31 PM, Sep 1, 2015

8:04 PM, Sep 1, 2015

conejo valley | drought

STAR FILE PHOTO

TROY HARVEY/SPECIAL TO THE STAR

THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. - High water users in Newbury Park will have to pay more for the precious resource starting September when a new drought surcharge will be added to some residents’ bills.

After falling behind in meeting the state-mandated 32 percent in water reduction for the last couple of months, California American Water will add a new fee for residents who use more than 8,976 gallons of water in a month. The figure, representing 1,200 cubic feet, is the amount used by an average customer.

“We’re asking customers to be more diligent,” said Brian Barreto of California American Water. “It will really help us in meeting our goal.”

The water agency serves 21,100 residents, primarily in Newbury Park. The district also covers portions of Camarillo, other portions of Thousand Oaks and unincorporated Ventura County.

For households whose water usage is more than the average, a charge of 21 cents for every 100 gallons will be tacked on the monthly bill. Residents whose typical bill is $58 or more will likely see a surcharge.

For example, a household that uses 12,000 gallons with a bill of $79 will now see a surcharge of $6.

In addition to the surcharge, the agency is also asking residents to use their sprinklers just once a week. Homes with odd-numbered addresses should water Saturdays and those with even-numbered addresses should water Sundays.

This measure is more stringent than the city of Thousand Oaks’ call to water twice a week.

In May, after Gov. Jerry Brown issued an executive order calling for a mandatory statewide reduction in water use, California American Water went into stage 2 restrictions. This means residents could water their lawns just twice a week.

The water agency saw a 27 percent reduction in June compared to usage two years ago and a 31 percent reduction in July. It was just shy of the 32 percent goal set by the state.

The added restrictions and surcharge planned for September are part of stage 3, which also calls on residents to fix all leaks within 24 hours of notification. Residents are also encouraged to contact the water agency should they plan to fill a new pool or drain and refill an existing pool because that will likely impact their water bill.

There is a total of five stages. Under stage 4, no outdoor irrigation is allowed and under stage 5, there is mandatory water rationing.

“We’re nowhere close to a stage 4,” Barreto said. “Residents are doing a good job but we want them to continue to be mindful of water use.”

Residents are encouraged to attend one of two informational meetings Sept. 17 at the Palm Garden Hotel at 495 N. Ventu Park Road in Thousand Oaks. The first meeting will be 2-3:30 p.m., and the second will be 5-6:30 p.m. For more information, call 498-1266 ext. 2809 or visit www.californiaamwater.com/drought.

Uber Drivers' Labor Lawsuit Granted Class Action Status In California This could upend Uber's business model.

Uber Drivers' Labor Lawsuit Granted Class Action Status In California

This could upend Uber's business model.

 5 hours ago | Updated 2 hours ago

• Dan Levine Reuters

ASSOCIATED PRESS

SAN FRANCISCO, Sept 1 (Reuters) - Uber drivers are entitled to class action status in litigation over whether they are independent contractors or employees, a key development in a case threatening Uber's business model and that of other hot startups dependent on similar service workers.

Three drivers sued Uber in a federal court in San Francisco, contending they are employees and entitled to reimbursement for expenses, including gas and vehicle maintenance. The drivers currently pay those costs themselves.

The results of Uber's legal battle could reshape the sharing economy, which is built around Internet companies that serve as marketplaces matching people who provide a service with others looking to pay for it.

CREDIT: ASSOCIATED PRESS

A man leaves the headquarters of Uber in San Francisco

In the ruling on Tuesday, U.S. District Judge Edward Chen in San Francisco said California drivers could sue as a group on the question of whether they are employees or contractors, and over their demand for payment of tips that were not passed on to them. Drivers' attorneys must submit more evidence to sue as a group for reimbursement of other expenses.

Chen also said Uber drivers who have worked for the service since May 2014 must specifically opt out of an arbitration agreement in order to sue the company.

Class action status generally gives plaintiffs more leverage to negotiate a settlement. In a statement, Uber said it will appeal, but that the arbitration portion of Chen's ruling means a "tiny fraction" of a potential 160,000 California drivers are eligible to be class members. Additionally, one of the three drivers who sued is no longer eligible to represent the class, Uber said.

Shannon Liss-Riordan, a lawyer who represents drivers in the case, said Uber's characterization of the size of the class is "not correct," and that "many thousands" will be part of the lawsuit.

"This decision is a major victory for Uber drivers," Liss-Riordan said.

Uber had argued that the drivers should not be allowed to sue as a group because they have little in common and relate to the company in different ways.

However, Chen wrote that there is an "inherent tension" in Uber's argument.

"On one hand, Uber argues that it has properly classified every single driver as an independent contractor," Chen wrote.

On the other, Chen wrote, Uber argues that individual drivers are so unique that the court, "unlike, apparently, Uber itself," cannot make its own determination.

Uber and other companies, including Lyft and Handy, say the contractor model allows for flexibility that many see as important to their success.

An ultimate finding that drivers are employees could raise Uber's costs beyond the lawsuit's scope and force it to pay Social Security, workers' compensation, and unemployment insurance.

In June, a California labor commissioner ruled that an Uber driver was an employee, not a contractor. Uber has appealed that decision.

The debate has spilled into U.S. presidential politics, with Democratic presidential contender Hillary Clinton in July saying on-demand companies raise "hard questions" about workplace protection and what a good job will look like in the future.

In arguing against class action status, Uber had submitted sworn statements from hundreds of drivers supporting the company. However, Chen rejected this evidence because the statements could have been the product of biased questions.

There is simply "no basis," Chen wrote, to support Uber's claim "that some innumerable legion of drivers prefer to remain independent contractors rather than become employees."

The case is Douglas O'Connor et al v. Uber Technologies Inc, U.S. District Court, Northern District of California, No. 13-3826. (Reporting by Dan Levine; Editing by Tom Brown)