Public hearing on water rates increase is Feb. 12
CITY OF SEAL BEACH
To keep pace with inflation and rising costs of providing safe, reliable water and wastewater (sewer) collection services, the City of Seal Beach is considering rate adjustments over the next five years.
The Seal Beach City Council will conduct a public hearing on Monday, Feb. 12, at 7 p.m., at the Seal Beach City Council Chambers, 211 Eighth Street, Seal Beach, 90740 to consider proposed rates for water and wastewater sewer services.
In the coming weeks, Seal Beach property owners will receive a notice from the City on proposed rate adjustments and their right to participate and to protest rate increases.
The public is encouraged to read the mailed notice or digital copy at www.2023utilityratestudy.sealbeachca. gov, and may request more information by emailing
utilityrates@ sealbeachca. gov
or calling the Public Works Department at 562-342-7389.
The City of Seal Beach owns and operates water and sewer systems serving approximately 24,000 people. About 85% of the water use is drawn from local groundwater supplies, while the rest is imported from Northern California and the Colorado River.
The City’s water system consists of four wells, two reservoirs, two booster stations, nearly 75 miles of water mains, and approximately 5,350 service connections.
The City’s wastewater collection system consists of 34 miles of sewer lines, six pump stations and 800 manholes. The City does not own or operate wastewater treatment facilities but transports the wastewater to Orange County Sanitation District to be treated.
Per state law, revenues generated from water and sewer service rates must only be used to fund the actual costs to operate and maintain the system including infrastructure projects and the cost of debt to finance capital improvement projects.
Through the Water and Wastewater Utility Enterprise Funds, separate from the City’s General Fund, customer rates fund the complex water and wastewater systems. Rate study recommendations were presented to the Seal Beach City Council on Dec. 11. On Feb. 12, the City Council will consider all written protests and oral comments on the proposed rate changes. Oral comments will not be counted as protests unless accompanied by a written protest. At the conclusion of the meeting, the City Council will consider adoption of the proposed changes as follows:
• Iflessthanamajorityofrecord property owners file a protest, the City Council will consider increasing water and wastewater rates beginning April 1.
• Ifamajorityofaffectedrecord property owners protest the increase before the conclusion of a required public hearing, the City is prohibited by law from increasing water and wastewater rates.
Written protests (one per affected property) must be received by the city clerk before Feb. 12. Phone, e-mail, and fax protests will not be accepted.
For more information, visit www.2023utilityratestudy.sealbeachca. gov.
—City of Seal Beach
