DWP Rates

Your article, “DWP Strike Turns Supervisors Into Linemen” (Sept. 8), provided some interesting reading. Your article read, in part: “ . . . Some 300 supervisors . . . have managed for the most part to keep the lights on and the water running for the DWP’s 1.3 million customers.”

Obviously, 300 people cannot do the work of 8,669 employees for an extended period of time but if 300 supervisors can fill in, in any manner, for 8,669 striking workers, perhaps the Department of Water and Power should be asking itself how many employees it really needs. Do you suppose this has something to do with high utility bills?

JAY JAMES

Pico Rivera

On my most recent DWP bill comparing the same two-month periods, for 1993 I used 13.3% less electricity over 1992 and 11.6% less water. That works out to an average of 12.4% less. For this conservation on my part, my bill was 2.9% higher. Had I received a 12.4% discount from the 1992 bill, I would have paid $109.32 less. Angelenos, we’re all getting the same dirty end of the stick.

JACK M. DE CAMP

Los Angeles

How much more competitive does Mayor Richard Riordan want DWP to be? The rates are already 20% lower than other utilities in the area.

MICHELLE BUEHLER

Los Angeles