Information provided by City of San Juan Bautista
The City of San Juan Bautista announced its new sewer rates that go into effect Feb. 1. The new rates were adopted by the City Council through ordinance 2021-05 Dec. 21, 2021.
The city said a notice is being sent in English and Spanish to all residents informing them of this action in the January billing. The first bill to include the new rates will arrive the first week in March. The residential rate was previously $83.61.
- Effective 2/1/2022 7/1/2022 7/1/2023 7/1/2024 7/1/2025
- Residential Monthly Fixed Rate: $95.62 $109.01 $124.27 $141.67 $148.75
- Commercial Min. Monthly Rate: $95.62 $109.01 $124.27 $141.67 $148.75
- Volumetric Rates: ($/1,000 Gal) $14.51 $16.54 $18.86 $21.50 $22.57
The new rates include the estimated capital improvement costs to build a 6-mile sewer force main to Hollister. The release said when completed, the city will no longer be treating water; it will only collect and convey it to the Hollister wastewater treatment plant. It also said this is the first time in more than 20 years that the city has increased its rates to include capital improvements.
‘These improvements will transform the way the city manages its wastewater, improve the quality of life for its residents by reducing the odor caused by the current sewer treatment system in the city, and cause the city to become complaint with EPA standards removing its effluent discharge from the creek,” the release said. “The city’s current wastewater treatment plant does not have the capacity to remove chloride or sodium from its treated water (salts). It has been discharging effluent treated water with too much salt for more than two decades. By selecting this EPA “Compliance Project” in October 2020, the city committed to transforming the way it manages the community’s wastewater; forever.”
It went on to say the revenues received will first be used to reimburse the City’s General Fund Reserve for costs incurred since Feb. 2021 to design the project. The city has encumbered $990,000 in a contract awarded to Stantec to design the system, complete environmental studies, and acquire right-of-way. Now the system design is 90% complete. Revised cost estimates included as part of the rate study are estimated to be $18 million. The approved rates are based on the $18 million being split with $6 million in state and federal grants, and $12 million in low interest infrastructure loans. The new rate revenue will then be used to pay for the anticipated annual debt service on $12 million dollars over 30-years of $477,000.
“This is the first step in a two-step process,” the release said. “The city has launched a second-rate study to examine the cost of importing drinking water that is less hard, and less salty. If approved, this water imported from the West Hills Treatment Plant will transform the drinking water in the city and further improve the quality of life for residents.”
If you have any questions or concerns about these changes, please feel free to check the city’s website.
Email the City Manager Don Reynolds at citymanager@san-juan-bautista.ca.us , or call City Hall at 831-623-4661.