City of La Verne officials outline proposed water and sewer rate increases starting Jan. 1, 2026

Matt Whittern, a consultant with Raftelis, opened a City of La Verne webinar outlining proposed water and sewer rate increases and the rationale behind them. "Tonight, we'll walk through La Verne's proposed water and sewer rates, why these changes are necessary, and how they're determined," Whittern said.

The study projects that, after the first phase of increases on Jan. 1, 2026, combined household bills will rise for most customers. Whittern presented sample combined water-and-sewer bills for three usage levels and said typical 2025 combined bills of roughly $112 to $186 would increase to about $139 to $213 under the proposed 2026 rates, depending on usage and pressure zone.

The proposed schedule would phase in increases beginning Jan. 1, 2026, with further annual adjustments through 2029 if adopted. Whittern said the City and consultant view the increases as necessary to cover rising operating costs and planned capital work: "This will ensure that the city can cover rising costs, invest in infrastructure, and continue delivering safe, reliable service to every household." He added that the water utility has not had a rate adjustment since 2018 and has been drawing on reserves to cover operating costs.

Deputy Public…