City Council to Consider Water Rate Increase

The City Council tonight will discuss a proposal to increase water rates by $5 a month for the average user along with other changes to how the city charges for water and sewer services.

If approved, Pleasanton residents will see their first water rate increase in nine years, a jump of almost 7.2 percent starting Aug. 1.

The changes also would affect a discount program for senior residents, increasing the required age from 62 to 65. The discount would be capped for those who use more than 500 gallons of water per day.

People already signed up for the discount but under 65 will be grandfathered in.

The proposed changes were first presented to the council last month as part of an effort to restructure water-sewer rates and address the rising costs of sewer services as well as the increase in the wholesale price of water.

The proposal includes changes t0 how rates are determined in the future. It calls for increasing base meter charges by 11 cents  for each billing period in 2010 and 2011 and creates a fourth categorization for high water users.

The discussion tonight will cover increases in water rates only and some modifications in how certain groups are charged for sewer services.

The changes are  part of an effort to encourage water conservation among heavy users. According to staff reports, Pleasanton residents consume almost twice the amount of water as the national average (450 gallons a day compared with 290 gallons).

City staff members have held two public meetings regarding the rates changes, which were not heavily attended by residents.

At those meetings, some of the concerns raised were from representatives of homeowners associations, whose accounts would be changed to the commercial classification. Staff reports said there were more than 100 inquiries regarding the proposed changes to the senior discount.