Water & Sewer Rates: What People Are Saying

Water and sewer rates were approved by City Council for a 16 percent and 14 percent increase in April 2012 respectively.

Sewer rates were but water rates only for April 2012.

"I’ve been in this business for 30 years," the City's Public Works Director Paul Toor told City Council Wednesday. "I have never seen a worse reservoir. Garfield Reservoir is ... it is in such bad shape, I can’t even share with you."

Several residents spoke up about the sewer and water rates during the public hearing—some were in favor but most were opposed.

Longtime resident Bob Cook was opposed to the fact that 3,358 protest letters were needed (under Prop 218) to negate these rate increases. 

Councilmember Philip Putnam concured: "This protest procedure we are using under prop 218 is a permitted method. But it is not the only method. So if the city wanted to have a vote, it would be permissible under 218."

"So what we did is we took the least likely to succeed method, which is because it required 50 percent of the public to protest," he continued. 

The City only receieved 346 protest letters on this issue.  

See the attached photos and captions to read what else your neighbors had to say at Wednesday's public hearing. 

Click HERE to see the projected water and sewer rates. 

Click HERE to read more about the current tiered water rates. 

Patch Asks: How do you feel about the new water and sewer rates? Tell is in comments!