Few protests as Yuba City OKs water rate hikes

Yuba City water and wastewater rates are on the rise, after a Proposition 218 hearing drew only a smattering of opposition to block planned increases.

City Council members voted unanimously Tuesday to approve an increase that will boost average residential water bills by $1.50 a month over the next three years and 75 cents a month for two following years. Wastewater costs will also increase, with a single family home's monthly bill rising from $28 to $40.

More substantial increases are slated for commercial and industrial users.

Several residents spoke out at the meeting, but acknowledged they were "late to the party," since they had not participated in previous workshops and council meetings on the topic. Many asked for answers to questions that City Council members stressed had been already discussed at length.

"Just because you were not here at these public hearings does not mean we have not vetted all the issues," Mayor John Dukes said.

Yuba City has been talking since February about raising rates and hosted two public workshops and held two council meetings to discuss the topic.

Resident Michael Boelot said there was a lack of effort on the city's part to notify residents about the increases, citing the lack of a date on the mailed Proposition 218 notices, which Ian Pietz, a Public Works senior engineer, said were sent out on or before May 27 and can be proved with postal records.

Boelot also asked what the revenue generated by the increases would be used for. Pietz told him the revenue will cover increased costs, ongoing capital improvement projects and replacing aging infrastructure.

The wastewater increases will fund cost-of-living increases and capital improvements, but do not account for needs that may result from permit changes and also assume the continuation of furloughs, Public Works Deputy Director Diana Langley said. Commercial and industrial wastewater rates are based of water usage, and residential customers pay a flat rate.

Resident Robert McMahon argued that there was nothing to stop the city from trying to raise rates again within five years. He also asked if there was anything that prohibits the additional revenue from being spent on salaries and benefits, which City Manager Steve Jepsen told him there was not.

Resident Elaine Miles said the city's assessment that its utility costs to residents were "low," is not accurate, since she only pays about $6.50 in the winter for water at a home she owns in Linda. The average monthly residential water bill in Yuba City is $24, and customers who use the minimum amount of water in the winter pay more than $17 a month for the base rate.

Former Hillcrest water user Philip Treanor said residents in his part of town have already paid for the capital improvements, maintenance and other increased costs and should not have to bear the burden again, even if $1.50 a month is a menial amount.

"Two years ago we took it in the shorts," he said. "Leave Hillcrest out of it at this time and add a dollar and a half to other people."

Revenue from Hillcrest users has contributed to water projects, but it does not address all improvements needed in the system, Pietz said.

Ivin Rhyne said that differences in fixed and variable costs would cause customers who want to lower their bills to use less water and therefore provide less revenue to the city and cause another necessary rate increase.

"If that's not an intentional act to punish people for conserving water, that is how it is going to be perceived," he said.

Jepsen said the only other option would have been a flat rate, or a tiered system, which the council decided against.

At the end of the meeting, council members agreed they do not like raising rates and stressed the cost burden is something they will all share as residents, too. But an increase is necessary to ensure viable services now and in the future, they said.

"It may not be perfect, but I feel we've addressed it quite well," said council member Leslie McBride said.

A successful protest would have required opposition from 50 percent plus one of the 22,250 customers, or 11,126 people. Instead, the city received 174 protest votes — less than 1 percent.

CONTACT reporter Ashley Gebb at 749-4783.