In its efforts to balance its costs and revenues, the Goleta Water District will be holding a public workshop to educate its ratepayers and to listen to their concerns about water rates and how they may change.

The meeting will be held at 5:30 p.m. Jan. 25 at the Goleta Union School District headquarters, 401 N. Fairview Ave.

“We’re still at the beginning of the process,” said Goleta Water District director Lauren Hanson, when asked about concerns over possible increases in rates, particularly for agricultural water users.

The district has embarked on a rate study, in which it is comparing the cost of delivering its services against the revenues it receives. Water rates and metered charges have not changed for the district’s 85,000 customers since 2007, and the rate study process is one that is performed periodically.

Until the rate study is complete, there are no concrete plans to increase water rates, and, in compliance with Proposition 218, changes in water rates require voter approval.

The workshop is intended to educate ratepayers about the rate study, and address their concerns about changes in water rates. It will be the first of several such workshops to be conducted in the coming months. Also part of the rate study process is a five-year forecast/financial plan and an analysis of miscellaneous fees.

Click here for more information on the rate study and the upcoming workshop, or call 805.964.6761. GWD customers also will receive updates with their monthly bills.

— Noozhawk staff writer Sonia Fernandez can be reached at sfernandez@noozhawk.com. Follow Noozhawk on Twitter: @noozhawk or @NoozhawkNews.