PARLIER, Calif. — The Parlier City Council on May 15 authorized a consultant services agreement to carry out a comprehensive water-rate study and asked staff to include an accounting review of the wastewater-treatment-plant solar system and related PG&E billing credits.

The council approved the resolution authorizing the agreement with IGS Services (transcript reference: "resolution 20 25 37") by a 5–0 vote. Council members discussed potential rate structures, including a tiered system intended to reward conservation by charging lower per-gallon rates to lower-volume users and higher per-gallon rates to high-volume users.

City engineer Javier, who presented the item, said the consultant hired for the study will examine the city’s books to determine which costs are charged to the water account and which costs are recurring; that information, he said, will be used to project future rates. Javier noted the earlier consultant Dan Bergman participated in Parlier’s prior rate study and that the new study will present alternatives to the council for public hearings and eventual adoption.

Councilmember Juanita Molina raised concerns about the performance of the solar array at the wastewater treatment plant and asked whether the study would examine that system’s output and whether the city is receiving expected PG&E credits. Molina said the solar system was installed around 2010; she said it has not worked consistently and that the current owner — identified in the meeting as Silicon Ranch — may be responsible for repairs and performance reporting.

Javier said the consultant will “look at all our books” and identify whether credits or charges related to the solar system are applied to water or sewer accounts; if solar credits are not being posted to the appropriate account, the issue will surface in the study because it reviews historical charges and recurring costs. Javier also said staff has been communicating with the current solar owner and that Silicon Ranch had been asked to provide a progress report and performance notes.

What council approved

The action authorized staff to execute a consultant agreement to start a comprehensive water-rate study. The motion passed 5–0 (mover recorded as Diego Garza; second recorded as Sabrina Rodriguez). The meeting did not record a contract dollar amount. Staff said the consultant will return with rate alternatives and projections.

What the study will examine (as discussed in the meeting)

- Current and historical water and sewer account charges and the drivers of those charges.
- Whether costs charged to water and sewer accounts are recurring or one-time items (e.g., repairs, filtration system upgrades).
- Feasibility and modeling of tiered rate structures to reward conservation.
- Whether solar-generation credits from the wastewater treatment plant are correctly applied and, if underpayments or missing credits are discovered, recommendations for corrective action.

Follow-ups and timeline

Staff told council the consultant will analyze the city’s financial records and present rate alternatives to council for further debate; a projected timeline was not specified in the meeting record beyond staff noting the study will begin once the contract is approved. Councilmembers requested notice when the consultant submits federal or state grant applications tied to projects that could affect rates.

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