Subcommittee recommends Santa Rosa Water’s $170.2 million 2026–27 budget to Board after presentation on rates, reserves and truck‑waste revenue

The Board of Public Utilities Budget Review Subcommittee voted to recommend Santa Rosa Water’s fiscal year 2026–27 operations, maintenance and capital appropriation requests to the full Board after a staff presentation and committee questions.

Director Burke opened item 4.1 and staff presenters outlined the package. Nick Harvey, Deputy Director of Administration, said the proposed total budget for FY 2026–27 is about $170.2 million, which includes capital, debt service and O&M; he said Santa Rosa’s share of the regional reuse enterprise is budgeted at roughly $58 million. Harvey told the subcommittee the budget assumes a 1.1% increase in water deliveries, that wastewater demand will remain flat, and that the proposed five‑year rate schedule includes roughly a 6% increase to water usage and fixed fees and about a 5% increase to sewer usage and fixed fees effective in the coming rate year.

Harvey described key cost pressures: salaries escalated about 4% systemwide, electricity costs in the regional enterprise are rising (about a 10% increase noted) partly because of CHP engine maintenance and higher energy needs for UV disinfection systems, and internal overhead allocations have increased while some external overhead allocations dropped…