Sacramento City Council Approves 4 Years Of 10 Percent Water Rate Increases

SACRAMENTO (CBS13) — Sacramento City Council voted increase water and wastewater utility rates over the next four years.

Starting July 1, water rates will go up by 10% each year until 2019.

"That's kind of ridiculous especially if some of us are monitoring our water the way we should be and others aren't," said Karly Defazio, who lives within the city limits. "It's really not fair but I guess it had to happen it has to happen."

The increase will affect more than 136,000 homes and businesses that use the city's water and waste services. It's not just water that will go up—wastewater will see a 9 percent increase per year.

Marti Martin isn't a fan of the increase. Even a small hike in her water bill could stretch her fixed income a little bit tighter.

"My husband and I are retired," she said. "When you look at a 10 percent increase most people on retiree benefits don't receive a 10% increase."

Bill Busath, director of Sacramento's utilities department, said raising additional money is imperative in order to comply with state law regarding water meters.

"We are going to finish installing all of the meters in the city of Sacramento by the end of the year 2020," Busath said. "Meters are the most important conservation tool and we need to get them installed as quickly as possible."

A 2004 state mandate requires all urban water suppliers to "install meters on all municipal and industrial water service connections that are located in its service area." The deadline is January 1, 2025.

In order to do that, the city needs $230 million dollars. Meters have already been installed in 65% of the city but Busath said the city's aim to get them installed everywhere in the city by 2020.

"We believe the city utility rate increases are too high and an extreme hardship for families in the Sacramento area," Martin wrote in a letter to the city and the mayor. "we're stuck. There's nothing we can do."

After installing 90% of the city's meters, the department of utilities will start charging customers based on the amount of water they use. In short, the more water you use, the more you get charged. The less you use, the lower your bill will be.