Customers of East Rio Hondo Water Supply Corporation are questioning a spike in their water bills, and the increase is hitting the Green Valley Farms area near San Benito hard.

One customer said her bill went from nearly $50 to $80. For those still recovering from last March's flood, every dollar matters.

Jeanneth Vela has lived in the Green Valley Farms neighborhood for about a year. Floodwater got inside her home, her trailer was destroyed, and her animals were lost.

"We are barely recovering — slowly — from this flood, and it turns out that instead of receiving help, we are actually being burdened with an extra load," Vela said.

Back in November, Vela's water bill was around $49. Her latest statement is nearly $80.

Officials with the East Rio Hondo Water Supply Corporation say water rates have risen for all their thousands of customers. The water corporation's general manager says it's necessary.

"We had to do this to secure our water supply. This isn't something we wanted to do, so we're looking to the future," general manager Brian McManus said.

McManus says the money will go toward securing a secondary water source. The funds will be used to expand its brackish water desalination plant.

"With that we had to borrow funds to expand the plant, and with that came along $37 million in debt and $62 million in grants," McManus said.

That debt was passed along to customers.

Other customers who spoke to Channel 5 News off camera said that while they understand the need, they believe the rate adjustment is unjustified. Vela agrees.

"[We're asking for] the minimum, for them to hear us and our needs so that we can get some type of help," Vela said.

McManus says the corporation sent out notices about the increase and held three public meetings explaining the need for the rate hike.

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