Tehachapi council adopts staged water and wastewater rate increases after Prop 218 hearings

The Tehachapi City Council voted 5-0 on May 5 to adopt new water and wastewater service charges after Prop 218 public hearings, concluding that the written protests received did not constitute a majority. Staff reported 50 written protests related to the proposed water charges and 49 written protests related to the wastewater charges; both sets of written protests were overruled and the council adopted the rate schedules described in the staff reports.

City Public Works Director Don Marsh and consultant Monique Roberts of AECOM told the council the increases are intended to cover a run of maintenance and capital projects and to restore fund reserves. “These are all projects that are needed to be done to continue to have a reliable water system for the city as well as remain in compliance with all the state requirements,” Marsh said during the hearing.

Why the vote matters: the city has undertaken major rehabilitations and unplanned replacements in recent years — Marsh cited Mohave, Denison and Walser wells (each rehabilitation costing roughly $100,000–$150,000) and expensive water-main replacements at Cherry Lane and Denison. On the wastewater side, staff described a rebuilt clarifier and a replaced headworks screen as examples of aging infrastructure that now require further capital work and preventative maintenance.

What the council approved - Water: Consultants recommended a single, citywide rate structure to replace the existing two-zone system; the study and staff presentations say the city’s total water use has fallen and that recent water-right acquisitions mean the two-zone distinction is no longer needed. The study presented a first-year alignment where Zone A customers face a one-time larger adjustment and Zone B customers a smaller first-year change so both zones reach a common rate in subsequent years. Roberts summarized the recommendation: “The study concluded that there is increase required for all of the different categories of rates.” Specific figures presented in the hearing included a one-time monthly ready-to-serve increase of $3.06 for Zone A and $1.22 for Zone B, and quantity-rate changes stated as about $0.77 per 1,000 gallons for Zone A and $0.30 per 1,000 gallons for Zone B; the study showed an average per-customer increase of about $3 per year in the early years of the schedule. The proposed schedule was described as taking effect beginning with fiscal year 2025–26 and staging further modest increases in subsequent years as listed in the rate schedule attached to the staff report.

- Wastewater: Staff and the consultant presented a new cost-based rate tied to estimated plant flows. The study calculated an equivalent unit cost of about $12.97 per 1,000 gallons and presented a multi-year schedule of modest increases. Council noted that a CPI-based sewer increase went into effect on Jan. 1, 2025 (raising the then-current monthly single-family wastewater charge to $51.51), and that the additional July 1 adjustment adopted by the council raises that monthly single-family amount to $52.60 under the new schedule. Staff said the January/CPI step and the July step were structured so the city aligns future adjustments with the fiscal year start.

Public comment and council discussion: Dozens of residents attended the hearing; speakers raised concerns about timing, public notice, fairness between long-established neighborhoods and newer developments, and the cumulative impact of multiple recent utility increases. Several speakers said they had not received or could not access the study materials and requested clearer maps showing which properties were in Zone A or B. Don Marsh and staff replied that the Prop 218 notices and the full rate study had been posted on the city website on March 7 and were also available in hard copy at City Hall; staff reiterated that written protests are counted under Prop 218 rules and that oral comments are not counted as written protests.

Council members repeatedly emphasized the city’s limited alternatives when aging infrastructure requires substantial work: Councilmember [Chan] said the city must “stay on top of it” to avoid borrowing or larger emergency costs later; another councilmember framed the increase as a preventive step to maintain water quality and system reliability.

Votes and outcomes: The council adopted the staff resolutions overruling written protests and approving the proposed water and wastewater charges. Both resolutions passed on unanimous 5-0 votes.

What’s next: The adopted rate schedules and all related exhibits were attached to the staff reports and published as part of the council packet; staff said they will implement billing changes on the schedule described in the resolutions and continue outreach to customers about how the changes affect individual bills.

Ending: Council and staff asked residents with questions about zone boundaries, bill impacts or payment assistance to contact City Hall; staff reiterated that hard copies of the rate study and the notice materials remain available at the municipal offices.