Sewer rates may triple in Yuba City

Proposed rate hikes that would more than triple sewer fees Yuba City Cogeneration as well as Calpine's power plant pay yearly will go before Yuba City council members at a Tuesday workshop.

"It is a huge increase," Diana Langley, deputy public works director said. "I'm sure there's going to be dialogue."

Yuba City Cogeneration's annual bill would increase from $18,282 to $65,824. The bill for Calpine would climb from $27,010 to $93,592.

"That's what we're going to talk about," Mayor John Dukes said of the rate hikes and the City Council meeting. "We'll see how it goes."

Valley Fine Food's sewer bill would increase by 250 per cent to $60,041.

"I'm not sure if they were historically too low," Councilman Tej Maan said of industrial accounts. "We want to make sure everybody's paying what's fair — what's appropriate."

Representatives of the three industries could not be reached Monday for comment.

Sewer rates haven't been increased for three years in Yuba City.

Sunsweet, the city's fourth major industrial account, pays capital and debt services charges separately from operation and maintenance costs so proposed rate increases would not immediately impact Sunsweet, according to the city staff report.

A range of alternative increases for residential users also go before the council. The largest hike increases fees for homes from the existing $28 a month to $54 over five years.

Any increase requires a vote of ratepayers as provided by Proposition 218, the city report notes, and a majority protest would deny the proposal. California voters approved the state proposition in 1996.

A separate proposal would increase average water rates by $1.50 a month for residents over the next three years. Monthly increases would be 75 cents over the following two years in the five-year plan.

"Yuba City's water rates are near the lowest of all its surrounding communities — even after year five of the proposed rate increases," Ian Pietz, senior engineer, notes in a report.

Only the Linda County Water District has lower rates among the 15 agencies listed in a Yuba City staff report. Marysville, whose water is provided by the privately-owned California Water Service Company, has the highest rates.

"We've got cheap water," Pietz said.

He said of the Yuba City rates that, "We need to raise them to be able to cover our costs."

The last water rate increase was in 2007.

Public comment will be taken at the Tuesday workshop and the council will provide direction to the city staff about the fee boosts — which would return at a later meeting for formal action.

Lee Seidel, district manager for California Water at its Marysville office, said the age of facilities, need for water treatment and regulations help set water costs.

"You really never can get an accurate picture comparing water systems," Seidel said. "They're all unique."

CONTACT reporter Ryan McCarthy at 749-4780.