Brentwood to Host Public Hearing on Proposed Rate Increase to Water, Wastewater and Solid Waste

Unless Brentwood residents begin speaking out over a proposed fee increase over the next five years, the City of Brentwood will begin increasing rates to water, wastewater and solid waste services

The fee increase would look like this:

• Water: $1.68 monthly increase (3% increase annually for the five-year period)
• Wastewater: $1.18 monthly increase (3% increase annually for the five-year period Solid
• Waste: $0.68 monthly increase (2.8% annually for the five-year period)

Note: For a full explanation of the increase, we encourage you to read the material blow.

According to the city, Service charge increases are necessary to cover the rising cost of services and supplies, specifically utilities, as well as to comply with increasingly stringent State and Federal environmental regulations and to anticipate long term supply and infrastructure for existing customers.

To prevent a fee increase, it will take a majority of the 19,781 potentially impacted parties to file a protest by November 12. Meaning, 9891 need to file a complaint.  As of Friday, less than a hundred have been filed.

Information below is taken Directly off the City of Brentwood Website which is on their main page. Here is the direct link

• DATE:  NOVEMBER 12, 2013
• TIME:  7:00 PM or as soon thereafter as business permits
• LOCATION:  COUNCIL CHAMBERS, CITY HALL  150 CITY PARK WAY

A PUBLIC HEARING WILL BE HELD TO CONSIDER PROPOSED INCREASES TO WATER, WASTEWATER AND SOLID WASTE SERVICE CHARGES AS FURTHER DESCRIBED BELOW

QUESTIONS REGARDING THE PROPOSED RATES MAY BE DIRECTED TO

PUBLIC WORKS ENGINEERING 925 516-5420

THE CITY’S UTILITY SYSTEMS

The City of Brentwood provides water, wastewater (sewer) and solid waste (garbage) services to over 17,000 residential and commercial customers. The City supplies approximately 4.1 billion gallons of water per year through a 21 million gallon combined Water Treatment Plant capacity, 7  wells, 6 storage tanks,6 pump stations and a system of 256 miles of water pipeline. The City collects and treats approximately 1.2 billion gallons of waste annually by means of a system of 179 miles of pipeline, 2 lift stations and a Wastewater Treatment Plant that can process 5 million gallons of waste daily. The City collects, sorts and processes approximately 160 tons of garbage and recycling material daily including two annual clean-up days for each customer at no additional charge.

HOW ARE THE CITY’S UTILITIES FUNDED?

The City’s utilities are enterprises, supported solely by water, wastewater and solid waste service charges and fees. Service charges and fees are used to pay for the ongoing operation, maintenance, repair and replacement of existing utility systems and cannot be used for costs outside of the enterprise. Costs associated with growth and serving new development are paid for from connection or demand fees, and are not factored into these service fees.

REASONS FOR THE PROPOSED SERVICE CHARGE ADJUSTMENTS

Service charge increases are necessary to cover the rising cost of services and supplies, specifically utilities, as well as to comply with increasingly stringent State and Federal environmental regulations and to anticipate long term supply and infrastructure for existing customers. Anticipated capital construction projects to service existing customers include:

• Water Treatment Plant maintenance and capital upgrades
• Long Term Supply and Conveyance of surface water
• Wastewater Treatment Plant upgrades and retrofit for environmental regulation compliance
• Reclaimed water storage and expansion of distribution system

HOW WOULD THE SERVICE CHARGES CHANGE?

Water and Wastewater Service charges are comprised of two components: 1) a variable usage charge based on the amount of water used or wastewater flow generated, and 2) a fixed monthly charge based on customer meter size. The City is proposing the following increases to user charges and fixed monthly charges for water and wastewater services for the five year period from FY 2013-14 (once adopted) through FY 2017-18:

• Water: 3% increase annually for the five-year period for both the fixed monthly charge and variable usage charge for residential and non-residential customers (approximately $1.68 monthly for residential customers with average usage of 12,000 gallons per month).
• Wastewater: 3% increase annually for the five-year period for both the fixed monthly charge and variable usage charge for residential customers (approximately $1.18 monthly for residential customers with average winter usage of 5,000 gallons per month). Non-residential customers will see a 3% increase annually for the five-year period for the fixed monthly charge, variable usage charge will increase 1% in FY 2013-14 (once adopted) and 3% annually for FY 2014-15 through FY 2017-2018.
• Solid Waste: Residential rates will increase 2.8% annually for the five-year period (approximately $0.68 monthly). Non-residential rates vary with the type of service; see charts below.

WATER RATE STRUCTURE

The City of Brentwood has a rate structure that encourages water conservation. Customers are charged a fixed monthly charge based on meter size and a variable usage charge, per thousand gallons of water consumed, for each billing period. The following details the rate structure for each type of customer:

• Residential (Single Family and Multi Family) customers are charged a water fixed monthly charge based on meter size and a variable usage charge based on a four tiered water rate structure that encourages water conservation.
• Non-Residential (Industrial/Commercial) customers are charged a water fixed monthly charge based on meter size and a variable usage charge based on a two tiered water rate structure that encourages water conservation.
• Non-potable Irrigation customers are charged a water fixed monthly charge based on meter size and a flat rate charge per volume of water units used.

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Estimating your water bill

Every customer’s usage is unique and each customer’s bill will vary. You can estimate how the proposed service charges will affect your water bill in 2014 by using the Water Rate Calculators below. You will need a copy of a recent utility bill. From your utility bill, locate your fixed monthly charge determined by your meter size (single-family residential accounts will have either a 5/8” OR 1” meter).

RESIDENTIAL WATER RATE CALCULATOR               NON-RESIDENTIAL WATER RATE CALCULATOR

WASTEWATER RATE STRUCTURE

• Residential (Single Family) customers are charged a wastewater fixed monthly charge and a variable usage charge based on a two-month average of the customer’s winter water use. Usage rate is capped at approximately 7,000 gallons of water usage. Customers in newly constructed homes and customers with sewer only accounts that do not have winter water usage history, will be charged the wastewater fixed monthly charge and a variable usage charge based on the City wide average winter water use. New customers at existing residences with established water usage history will be charged a wastewater fixed monthly charge and a variable usage charge that is the lesser of either the City wide average winter water use or the previous winter water usage at the existing address.
• Residential (Multi-Family) customers are charged a wastewater fixed monthly charge multiplied by number of dwelling units, in addition to a variable usage charge based on the customer’s average winter water use divided by the number of dwelling units.
• Non-Residential (Industrial/Commercial) customers are charged a wastewater fixed monthly charge, in addition to a variable usage charge based on the customer’s monthly water use.

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SOLID WASTE RATE STRUCTURE

• Residential customers are charged a monthly rate based on the size of the garbage container; 32-gallon, 64-gallon or 96-gallon. In addition, up to two recycle and two yard waste carts, each sized at the customer’s choice, are included at no additional cost. Garbage is serviced weekly, with recycle and yard waste serviced on alternating weeks.
• Non-residential customers have the option of various types of service dependent upon their specific needs. Carts, small dumpster containers ranging from 1 through 8 cubic yards, and large dumpster containers ranging from 10 through 40 cubic yards are available, in additional to compactor and recycle services. Please contact our Public Works Solid Waste Division 925 516-6090 to discuss service options for your specific business needs.

For years 2015-2018, we encourage you to visit the website for those documents: http://www.brentwoodca.gov/department/pw/engineering/ratestudy.htm

PROTESTING THE PROPOSED RATES

All property owners and /or utility customers receiving water, wastewater and/or solid waste service, and interested persons are invited to attend the Public Hearing and be heard about proposed increases to the service charges. Property owners and /or utility customers may submit a written protest against any of the proposed rate increases to the City of Brentwood before the close of the public comment portion of the Public Hearing on November 12, 2013 at 7:00 P.M. If written protests against the proposed rate increase(s) are submitted by the owners or customers of a majority of the parcels who currently receive water, wastewater or solid waste service, the rate increase(s) will not be imposed. Only one protest will be counted per parcel. A written protest must contain your name and a description of the parcel or parcels (street address or assessor’s parcel number will be a sufficient description) in which the party signing the protest has an interest and must be signed by the property owner or customer. Protests should indicate which proposed utility service rate(s) is being protested (water, wastewater, solid waste or all). Please see complete protest submittal guidelines to ensure your Protest contains necessary information to be counted.

Protests may be submitted to:

City of Brentwood – Utility Rate Protest
City Clerk
150 City Park Way
Brentwood CA, 94513
[email protected]
Fax: (925) 516-5441 Attention City Clerk