Pleasanton homeowners who want to fight a proposed sewer rate increase have until the end of a Nov. 17 public hearing to do it, and it has to be on paper.
The City Council is scheduled to consider four years of new sewer rates at that 7 p.m. hearing. Under the plan, the city's own sewer collection charge for a single-family home would rise from $31.53 to $57.03 per two-month billing cycle on Jan. 1, 2027, an increase of $25.50, or about 81%, according to the official rate notice the city mailed to customers.
After the first year, increases would be capped at 10% a year, with the later adjustments taking effect each July 1.
Most Pleasanton sewer bills also include a regional treatment charge from the Dublin San Ramon Services District, which is not changing under this proposal. With that charge included, a typical single-family bill would go from $97.11 to $122.61 every two months. Ruby Hill homes are served by Livermore's treatment plant and would see different totals.
The Independent noted the Nov. 17 hearing in a Thursday report on the city's infrastructure plan. In that story, an assistant city manager explained that a $900 million infrastructure gap cited in 2023 had included city enterprises such as water and sewer, which are meant to cover their costs from their own revenue.
Why the city says rates must rise
The notice says sewer rates were for years adjusted only for inflation, which did not cover the long-term cost of maintaining and replacing aging pipes. City planning identified about $55 million in critical sewer work over the next four years to reduce the risk of backups, overflows and emergency repairs.
The system includes about 260 miles of gravity pipelines, 11 lift stations and roughly 6,500 manholes.
The proposal also folds condominium and multifamily customers into one residential rate and gives businesses a single uniform collection rate with a minimum charge.
