Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Water Rates topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Council tables proposed Stantec water‑rate benchmark study, asks staff for workshop and prior study materials
Summary
Council questioned the need and cost of a Stantec benchmark water‑rates study focused on irrigation rates, agreed by consensus to refer the matter to a workshop and to have staff provide the 2024 study, irrigation usage data and cost/benefit figures before any paid engagement.
Port Richey City Council considered a proposed water‑rate benchmark analysis by Stantec intended to compare the city’s fixed and irrigation rates with up to 10 peer municipalities. Interim City Manager Sala Carey presented the project and the firm’s stated fee in the transcript (noted as $1,313,090) and framed the study as a way to see whether Port Richey’s irrigation rates and overall charge structure should be adjusted.
Council members pushed back on spending for a full paid study without first reviewing the recent 2024 analysis and existing usage data. Several members noted that irrigation rates had been structured to encourage conservation and to curb excessive irrigation, and they suggested staff could initially refresh the prior study, sample peer published rates, or prepare a targeted finance/impact spreadsheet rather than a full $13xx,xxx contract.
Discussion focused on the equity of charging more for irrigation (which does not flow to sewer) in some tiers, the possibility of capping irrigation, and the importance of a finance analysis to understand revenue impacts of lowering early tiers. Council agreed by consensus to table the Stantec engagement, ask staff to produce a water‑workshop that includes the original 2024 study, irrigation usage and revenue reports, and a preliminary options memo so council could consider targeted changes without committing to the full consultant contract.
Next steps: staff to provide the prior study, run usage reports for irrigation billing tiers, prepare a cost/revenue spreadsheet and schedule a water workshop for council discussion.
