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Council approves formula-based water-connection fee to avoid large fire-line overcharges
Summary
The council adopted an ordinance to add a fire-flow charge for water connections that uses the fire code’s required gallons-per-minute and duration rather than charging strictly by meter size, reducing potentially disproportionate up-front fees for certain commercial developments.
The Ceres City Council on Sept. 22 adopted an ordinance amending Title 13 (Water and Sewer) to add a separate fire-flow connection charge. Staff explained the new charge is calculated from required fire-flow and duration drawn from the California Fire Code tables and then converted using the standard one-inch meter rate, rather than charging by raw meter size.
City staffer Beltran gave an example to illustrate the change: a 6-inch fire line that under a meter-size schedule might be assessed about $391,000 would, under the fire-flow formula, be assessed roughly $7,000–$8,000 based on the building’s required fire flow and duration. Beltran told the council the change is intended to create equity and avoid deterring required fire-service connections through prohibitively large fees.
Councilmembers asked whether the adjustment would cover costs and how the city would calculate individual projects; staff said the fee is intended to recover incremental costs and that revenue would go into the water fund. One council member voted no, citing concerns about first-time public hearing timing.
The ordinance passed by a 4–1 vote and, if adopted as presented, would take effect Jan. 1, 2026. Staff said they will bring back the updated fee schedule and examples to help applicants understand the new approach.
