At the City Council Study Session on Tuesday, January 16, the Public Works Department presented its findings of a recent water and wastewater (sewer) services rates study. Over the past five years, inflation has risen nearly 21% affecting the costs of providing these services. The City’s rates were last adjusted in 2019.
Financial consultants and City staff members have been working diligently on a series of steps involving data evaluation and technical analyses to derive customer rates while considering customer impacts of any rate modifications. The goal of the rates studies is to ensure that the rates customers pay for water and sewer services are:
- Fair, equitable, and aligned with community values and priorities
- Sufficient to ensure the continued financial viability of City utilities
- Sufficient to enable critical maintenance and infrastructure investment to continue high levels of service while complying with ever more stringent regulatory requirements
- Aligned with best practices and in accordance with state law
The public is encouraged to follow the rates study process and learn more about the water and sewer services. Within the next few months, residents and businesses will receive an official Proposition 218 notification in the mail. Prop 218 is an amendment to California’s Constitution that requires government agencies and utilities to notify property owners of proposed changes to rates for services. The City plans to have a public hearing on water and wastewater rates at the City Council meeting on Tuesday, April 16. For more information, please visit the City website.
