City Water/Sewer Rates To Go Up To Pay For Upgrades

MILPITAS, CA -- Granted, water and sewer users never want their rates to go up, but at least in this San Francisco Bay Area town, it's not money going down the drain.

On the contrary, the Milpitas Public Works Department has major plans to overhaul its network of pipes for the water and wastewater flows. The system is old, tired and needs, with critical infrastructure needing replacement, Public Works Director Tony Ndah contends. With its original installation from as far back as 1950, one could call it a "Leave It To Beaver" public works system.

The reality is: Costs are the opposite of gravity. They always go up and never come down. Plus, Ndah and his staff would rather proactively make the repairs than wait until the piping gives way, which is a mess no city and its citizens want to deal with.

Collectively, the plan for upgrades amounts to $10 million split between water and sewer over the next five years. The water side will get $46 million under its capital improvement plan, while sewer will take $10 million to replace and fix equipment.

In addition, Milpitas must meet the obligations of a $65 million contractual agreement with the city of San Jose over its city-to-city connection with the water system.

Milpitas buys water from the Santa Clara Valley Water District and San Francisco Public Utilities, two agencies that will be grappling with their own water supplies being at the mercy of the California Water Resources Control Board. The Santa Clara district just announced its suing the state for a cutback in flows from the San Joaquin River and its tributaries.

Ndah calculated the city spends 63 percent of the department's expense on buying water alone for a city of more than 77,000 residents.

The average consumer in its about 17,000 accounts uses 10,000 gallons in a two-month period.

When all is said and done, the impact on a user's bill will amount to $3.52 per month.

"After this, the system is going to last. We know the perception is the costs should remain flat," Ndah said.

That's why the city sent out a six-page booklet to explain the rate hikes and proposed changes. Leading up to the work, Milpitas is hosting a series of meetings to discuss the matter with the public. They are as follows:

• Community meeting on Jan. 24 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Milpitas Community Center at 457 E. Calaveras Blvd.
• City Council meeting on Feb. 5 at 7 p.m. in City Hall Council Chambers at 455 E. Calaveras Blvd. to receive written protests
• City Council meeting on Feb. 19 at 7 p.m. in City Hall Council Chambers at 455 E. Calaveras Blvd. to establish fees.

More information may be obtained at www.ci.milpitas.ca.gov/watersewer2018<http://www.ci.milpitas.ca.gov/watersewer2018.

--Image courtesy of city of Milpitas