Cerritos staff propose new five‑year water and sewer rate plan; public hearing set for Jan. 26, 2026

Cerritos city staff presented a proposed five‑year water and sewer rate plan on Nov. 19 that they say will phase out general‑fund transfers and make the utilities self‑sustaining by July 1, 2029. Assistant Director of Public Works Chris Kubert told the Community Safety Committee the city has not raised rates since July 2021 and that earlier increases did not pay for major system upgrades.

Kubert said the utilities have relied on the general fund to cover operating costs; staff reported a 2023 write‑off of $24,300,000 in general fund loans to the water and sewer funds and estimated an additional $8,900,000 of general‑fund support will be needed before changes take effect. To reduce that dependence, the city hired Water Resources Economics to conduct a rate study and narrowed an initial $43 million project list to focus on critical work. "The system needs a new rate structure that builds financial…