Yuba City water rate hike looms

The final public hearing will be held today on water rate increases in Yuba City that would boost average bills by $1.50 a month over the next three years.

Monthly increases would drop to 75 cents over the last two years in the five-year plan, said Ian Pietz, senior engineer in the Public Works Department.

City water rates are near the lowest of all surrounding communities, Pietz said, and will remain so even after the fifth year of the proposed rate increases.

Resident Elaine Miles, who has submitted a protest, said the city sent out notices rather than ballots because it wants to avoid the opposition that arose to a landscape lighting and maintenance district a year ago.

Pietz said the maintenance district was an assessment rather than a rate increase. Different procedures are used for an assessment, he said. The city sent about 23,000 notices of the proposed water rate change, Pietz said.

Increases in wastewater rates will also be considered. Costs for a single family home would climb from $28 to $40 over five years.

Miles, who opposed converting the Hillcrest Well Water System to Yuba City surface water, said the separate water rate matter is another issue of residents challenging municipal policy. "I can't count the number of times I've heard, 'You can't fight city hall.'"

Mayor John Dukes said if residents "choose to protest they have every right."

He praised the city for providing utilities at a reasonable rate.

"Look at Marysville," Dukes said. "They're much higher."

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

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

Yuba City Councilman Tej Maan said the rate increase will pay for work, including maintenance of the system and replacing water lines.

"It avoids having the fees go up much higher later," Maan said.

The city benefits in part from surface water off the Feather River that it takes in just north of the 10th Street bridge, Pietz said.

"We've got pristine surface water," he said.

Yuba City now realizes nearly $8 million yearly from water sales. That total would climb to $8.5 million if the rate increase is approved.

Property owners or utility customers can submit a written protest to the city clerk about the rate increase in the Proposition 218 hearing. Protests must be received by the end of the hearing today. Increases require a vote of ratepayers as provided by Proposition 218, approved in statewide vote in 1996, and a majority protest will deny the proposal.