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City staff summarize water and sewer rate study, outreach and next steps before July 10 council hearing
Summary
At the meeting staff summarized a public outreach workshop and materials posted online about the water and sewer rate study, explained how wastewater charges differ for residential and commercial users, and announced a July 10 City Council hearing on proposed rate increases.
City staff briefed the Buellton City Planning Commission on outreach and materials related to the ongoing water and sewer rate study and reminded the public of an upcoming July 10 City Council hearing; staff encouraged residents to review posted documents and FAQs and to contact city staff with questions.
Staff said the city has posted the draft study, two presentations and an FAQs file on the city’s public works web page and that documents and contact information for public works and the finance department are available on the city website. Staff said they are updating FAQs as common questions arise and are preparing example billing scenarios to illustrate how proposed changes would affect different user classes.
On the substance of the proposed rate structure, staff explained that the wastewater rate proposal treats residential customers with a flat base fee for wastewater while commercial and industrial users have a base fee plus a volumetric charge that reflects differing treatment costs and discharge loads. Staff said the current structure provides certain credits to commercial customers (for example, a notional 1,400‑gallon credit embedded in older billing practice) that the proposed structure does not replicate, because newer transparency and accounting requirements separate base fees and volumetric charges.
Staff emphasized that the rate consultant uses historical water use and billed discharges to allocate costs across user classes and that the study attempts to proportion costs across residential, commercial and industrial customers. Staff said schools are handled under a specific classification for wastewater and that any discussion of discounts, credits or exemptions for particular user groups would be a separate policy decision outside the rate study itself.
Staff highlighted public engagement to date: a May 29 public workshop attended by about 18 people, posted outreach materials, and a draft study and presentations online. Staff said they and finance department staff are available for appointments to explain the study and billing examples and asked the public to consult the posted FAQs for updates.
No formal action was taken; staff reiterated the July 10 City Council hearing date for rate increases and encouraged residents to review posted materials and contact public works or finance with questions.
