The City of Waterford on Tuesday awarded a $29,410 contract to a consulting firm for an independent five-year water rate and fee study and adopted a resolution authorizing submission of a $134,000 Regional Early Action Planning (REAP 2) grant application to Stanislaus Council of Governments.
The rate study contract will review the water enterprise’s finances, capital needs, customer classes and growth assumptions and is intended to establish rates to “maintain the system and adequately provide for capital needs” over the next five years, city staff said. The city hopes to have new rates take effect Jan. 1, 2026.
City staff said three bids were received: Bartle and Wells of Berkeley for $43,125; Lihovich and Seng of Alameda for $29,410; and Willdan Financial Services of Temecula for $29,935. Staff recommended contracting with Lihovich and Seng as the lowest responsive bidder and because the firm has previously provided rate-study services to the city; council approved the award by a 4-0 vote.
Separately, David Niskinan, the city’s contract planner, told the council the city is eligible for $134,000 in REAP 2 funds and staff proposes to use the allocation for preliminary engineering related to a potential new municipal well at the city-owned site at the northeast corner of Tim Bell Road and Vineyard. Niskinan said the preliminary work would include researching local well depth, water quality and output; coordinating a test well with a drilling consultant; lab analysis of test results; and a technical report with recommendations to determine whether the site can support a new well.
The resolution in the council packet authorizes the city manager to be the grant signatory and to execute required agreements; council adopted the resolution, listed as Resolution No. 2025-49, by a 4-0 vote. Staff said funds for the rate study are budgeted in the city’s water reserve fund and that the REAP application deadline required prompt council action.
The actions do not themselves authorize construction; the REAP funds described are for preliminary engineering, and the rate study will only recommend a rate schedule for council consideration.