LA County proposes sewer service charge increase for Hawaiian Gardens; council presses for maintenance details

Los Angeles County Public Works told the Hawaiian Gardens City Council on April 9 that it plans to raise sewer service charges for properties in the county'operated Consolidated Maintenance District to avoid running out of reserve funds and to sustain preventive maintenance.

Andrew Ngumba, division chief for sewer maintenance at Los Angeles County Public Works, outlined the proposal, saying the district has not raised rates since 2014 and now faces rising labor, materials and construction costs. Ngumba said the county'wide district collects about $42 million annually and spends roughly 90% of that on preventive maintenance, condition assessment and rehabilitation. "We are proposing increasing the current $50 per year per sewage unit sewer service charge by $14 per year for three consecutive years and then two years by the rate of inflation," Ngumba said, adding that the change would amount to about a $45 increase after five years for a typical single-family residence.

The proposal affects all member cities in the Consolidated Maintenance District and unincorporated areas; Hawaiian Gardens contains roughly 2,400 parcels and about 4,400 sewage units, the county said. Ngumba said the district maintains the collection system (the main sewer lines in streets) while property owners maintain house laterals and the Sanitation District handles treatment and disposal.

Why it matters: County staff told the council the district'wide reserves are declining and could show a negative fund balance by the end of the next fiscal year without additional revenue. The county will follow California'wide procedural requirements for property-related fee changes: a Proposition 218 notice to affected property owners, outreach meetings, and a public hearing before the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors, currently scheduled for June 24. Notices are expected to mail in mid-May; if a majority of affected property owners submit valid protests (more than 50% plus one of affected properties), the increase would not take effect.

Council members and city staff pressed county representatives on how often crews work in Hawaiian Gardens and what residents receive for the fee. City staff said manholes in the city are inspected twice per year and the county performs periodic cleanings (on 30-, 60- or 90-day cycles depending on the line). County staff said they had televised (CCTV) the city'owned lines previously in 2009 and plan to prioritize Hawaiian Gardens for televising during the next cycle to assess condition and identify repairs.

Council members asked for clearer, local-facing evidence of routine maintenance and better visibility of county crews in the one-square-mile city. One council member said the city rarely sees public works trucks and questioned whether residents would perceive value from a rate increase. City staff and county staff said they would work on outreach, upcoming open houses, webinars and partnerships with community organizations to explain services and the protest process.

The county'led presentation included these technical points the council requested be clarified: the district maintains the collection system (main sewer lines in the street); property owners maintain house laterals; the Sanitation District operates regional trunk lines and treatment plants; and capacity enhancements or new infrastructure triggered by development are generally the city's responsibility. The county also said emergency response is available 24 hours for stoppages or pump station failures.

No formal vote took place at the April 9 meeting; the item was informational and the county will present the Proposition 218 notices and hold a public hearing at the county level. County staff said the rate study they commissioned recommended the schedule now under consideration and that doing the increases earlier would have required smaller adjustments.

The council directed continued coordination with county staff, requested a clearer local maintenance timeline and asked for the city'specific CCTV results when they become available. The county confirmed notices in English and Spanish plus links to other languages would be provided and that an informational public hearing is planned for June 24 before the Board of Supervisors.

Ending: County staff left the council with contact information and a promise to continue outreach; the council and city staff said they will prioritize getting televising results and clearer documentation of scheduled maintenance into city communications so residents can see the services tied to the fee proposal.