Photo courtesy of Yuba City

YUBA CITY, CA (MPG) – Yuba City approved a new five-year schedule of water and wastewater rates as part of its June 16 consent agenda, establishing rates through fiscal year 2030-31 to support ongoing operations, maintenance, and infrastructure needs for the city’s utility systems.

The action adopts utility service rates for fiscal years 2026-27 through 2030-31 in alignment with rates authorized through the Proposition 218 process completed earlier this year.

Under the adopted schedule, the monthly base water rate for most residential customers with 1-inch or smaller connections will increase from $50.67 beginning Nov. 1, 2026, to $65.59 by Nov. 1, 2030. Commodity charges based on water use will rise from $2.36 per hundred cubic feet in the first year to $3.05 by the fifth year.

Wastewater rates for single-family residential customers will increase from $67.28 beginning Nov. 1, 2026, to $92.56 by Nov. 1, 2030. Multi-family residential rates will rise from $53.82 to $74.05 during the same period.

City officials said the rates are intended to provide sufficient revenue to fund projected operations, maintenance and capital improvements for the water and wastewater enterprise systems over the next five years.

The rate schedule follows utility rate studies completed by Black & Veatch Management Company and adopted by the City Council on March 17. Following adoption of the studies, the city initiated the Proposition 218 protest process required under California law for utility rate increases.

A public protest hearing was held May 19. The City Clerk reported receiving written protests from fewer than 50 percent of affected parcels, allowing the proposed maximum rates to take effect. The City Council retains the authority to adopt lower rates in future years if revenues and expenses warrant adjustments.

The city plans to implement the first year of the new rates Nov. 1, with customers seeing the updated charges on bills issued in January 2027.

As part of the same action, the council approved updates to municipal code provisions governing water and wastewater operations. The amendments remove utility rate tables from the municipal code, update departmental responsibilities and make regulatory changes related to water and wastewater system operations.

City officials said utility revenues are deposited into self-supporting enterprise funds and are used to operate, maintain and improve the city’s water and wastewater systems.