Ontario council adopts modest increases to water, sewer and trash rates after Prop 218 hearing

The Ontario City Council voted to adopt changes to water, sewer and solid-waste service charges after a Prop 218 public hearing on Oct. 7, approving the staff-recommended two-year rate plan by a 4–0 vote with Councilmember Wapner excused.

Utilities General Manager Scott Burton told the council the combined enterprise budget for the affected services is roughly $195 million and described major drivers behind the recommendation: rising energy and treatment costs, higher capital-construction prices, and investment in groundwater and wellhead treatment. "These are the costs that feed into the rate study," Burton said, and highlighted reliability and regulatory compliance as primary objectives.

Burton presented an example residential impact for an average single-family customer (5/8-inch meter, 14 units monthly usage, 96-gallon trash container): water would rise about $4.31 a month in the first year and the combined increase across water, sewer and trash would be roughly $8.65 per month for that typical account; he said the typical overall bill across services is about $150 per month and the first-year change is roughly 7 percent.

City Attorney Duran and the city clerk explained the Prop 218 process at the hearing: the city mailed notices to affected parcel owners and tenants and counted only written protests submitted before the close of the hearing (email protests do not qualify). The city clerk reported 39 written protests against the water charge, 37 against sewer and 37 against solid-waste; she said the amount needed to constitute a majority protest would equal $26,213 and "a majority protest does not exist" for any of the three charges, clearing the way for council action.

Several residents urged the council to delay or reject the increases, citing household affordability and recent capital spending on the sports complex. Chris Robles of FAIR Ontario said Ontario "charges the most across the board" compared with neighboring agencies and criticized using utility customers to fund large development projects. Michael Rios offered ball‑park math arguing the sports-complex costs could cover the increase for decades; the council and staff rejected that framing, noting different revenue sources and legal limits on how enterprise funds may be used.

In discussion, City Manager Manasure and councilmembers emphasized the distinction between user fees and taxes and the city's responsibility to maintain aging infrastructure. Councilmember Perrotta noted Ontario participates in a desalter and other regional facilities that raise costs but increase reliability; Burton said the city has about 17 active wells, more than half with emergency generators, and that prior investments (purple-pipe recycled-water systems, well rehabilitation) helped reduce dependence on imported water.

Burton also described mitigation programs: a low‑income/disabled/senior discount provides roughly $15 per month to qualifying households and staff said roughly 230 customers had already enrolled; the city provides rebate programs and conservation resources to help lower bills.

With the clerk’s tabulation showing no majority protest, the council moved and approved the resolutions to adopt the proposed rates (electronic vote passed 4–0, Councilmember Wapner absent). The adopted materials and staff report describe the new rates and the city’s outreach; staff said the effective dates are set in the adopted resolution and additional customer‑eligibility information is available on the city utilities website.

The council urged residents who need help to contact utilities staff about discounts and conservation programs; the city said it will continue outreach about available relief options.