Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Water Rates topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Council directs WAC representative to support Sonoma Water's proposed 2025—26 transmission budget and rate increase
Summary
After presentations from Sonoma Water staff, Santa Rosa City Council voted 5-0 to instruct its Water Advisory Committee representative to support Sonoma Water's proposed fiscal year 2025-26 water transmission budget and an 8.68% wholesale rate increase for Santa Rosa's aqueduct customers. The city will absorb the increase under current budgetary
The City Council on Tuesday voted to direct its Water Advisory Committee (WAC) representative to support Sonoma Water's proposed water transmission budget and associated wholesale rate increase for fiscal year 2025—26.
Nick Harvey, deputy director of administration for Santa Rosa Water, introduced Sonoma Water presenters Jake Spaulding and Lynn Roselli, who briefed the council on the proposed budget and the drivers behind the request. Spaulding said aging transmission infrastructure (aqueducts built in 1959—63) and an elevated need for capital and operations funding were the main drivers. Sonoma Water originally forecast substantially larger increases but, after staff cuts and project deferrals, presented a reduced increase.
Santa Rosa's share: city staff had modeled a maximum wholesale-rate scenario of 11% but reported that Sonoma Water's recommended increase for Santa Rosa's aqueduct customers is 8.68% for FY 2025—26. Nick Harvey told council that under Santa Rosa Water's current rate assumptions the projected $1.94 million increase in wholesale purchases can be absorbed within next year's budget without drawing undesignated fund balances.
The budget package presented by Sonoma Water included about $18.3 million in capital projects for 2025—26 and an $82 million total program across multiple funds; about $21.3 million of that amount would be covered by grants, use of fund balance and bond proceeds. Spaulding said Sonoma Water is implementing asset-management and 20-year master planning programs and plans to bond for multi-year capital investment.
Council action: Councilmember Natalie Rogers moved to approve Sonoma Water's proposed FY 2025—26 water transmission budget and rate increase and to direct the city's WAC representative to vote accordingly at the April 7 WAC meeting; Councilmember Pamela McDonald seconded. The motion passed 5-0 with Vice Mayor Alvarez and Councilmember Fleming absent.
What to watch: Sonoma Water plans a multi-year capital program and estimates long-range rate pressure (a model scenario showed ~8.7% annual increases over five years under current project assumptions). Council staff said the FY 25—26 wholesale increase would be absorbed in next year's budget and that public hearings on the city's retail rates will follow; the Sonoma Water Board of Directors is scheduled to consider final adoption in April.
