No to new sewer rates adopted by Colusa county, CA

Colusa residents will soon be paying new sewer rates based on water consumption, but it's a formula that may be short-lived.

The City Council on Tuesday approved the proposal to charge $57.50 a month plus $1.05 for every 100 cubic feet of water over the base amount of 1,000 cubic feet for residential customers but agreed to consider a new formula as early as mid-October.

City officials said they feared serious repercussions from the state if the council didn't immediately put a rate structure in place that would show the city can meet its loan obligation for the $15 million wastewater treatment plant completed earlier this year.

City Manager Jan McClintock said the state is withholding the remaining 10 percent of the loan due the city for the project until the city meets all lending requirements, including establishing a reserve account for future capital improvements and implementing a water conservation plan.

"If we do nothing, we won't get the $1.5 million due the city in time to make the first loan payment in February," McClintock said.

The new rates take effect Oct. 1.

Although the city only received 98 written protests at a public hearing last month — not enough to kill the increase under Proposition 218 — the council agreed with residents that the new rate could unfairly impact households with large, landscaped yards with little or no impact on sewer flow. At the same time, the new rate would have little impact on large households with high impacts on sewer flow.

The council agreed Tuesday to consider a new rate based on the average water usage for December, January and February, believing it too would satisfy the water conservation requirement of the loan.

"It's the best option," said Colusa Mayor Bob MacKaben. "It satisfies everybody. It satisfies the state and it allows the state to free up the loan money."

In addition, the council agreed to ask the state to extend its loan from 20 to 30 years — a savings that could be figured into a new winter rate structure.

McClintock said a new proposal may be available from the city's consultant by October, but it would have the same notification and public hearing requirements under Proposition 218.

It could be March 1 before a new rate is adopted, she said.

Current rate Proposed rate

Residential
$57 $57.50 plus $1.05 per 100 cf greater than 1,000 cf

Class 1
$53 plus $.72 per 100 cf $57.50 plus $4.94 per 100 cf greater than 1,000 cf
Retail, office,
beauty/barber shop,
florist, doctor/dentist

Class 2
$53 plus $2.97 per 100 cf $57.50 plus $4.94 per 100 cf greater than 1,000 cf
Dry cleaners, Laundromat $57.50 plus $4.94 per 100 cf greater than 1,000 cf

Class 3
$53 plus $2.81 per 100 cf $57.50 plus 7.28 per 100 cf greater than 1,000 cf
Auto dealership, autobody,
car wash, gas station

Class 4
$53 plus $4.85 per 100 cf $57.50 plus 10.98 per 100 cf greater than 1,000 cf
Bakeries, deli, fast food,
funeral home, market,
restaurant, bar

Schools $2.79 per person
Fairgrounds $517.06

By Susan Meeker/Staff Writer of colusa sun herald