Watsonville utility rate increases in the spotlight

WATSONVILLE — Utility rates in Watsonville could be on the rise over the next five years, if a proposal by Watsonville’s Public Works and Utilities Department is successful.

The City Council will hold a public hearing on the matter at its Tuesday evening meeting, where residents can voice their concerns over the proposed rate increase.

City staff, including Public Works and Utilities Director David Koch, will present a report to the council and lay out the case as why utility rates are needed.

In an opinion piece for the R-P, Koch laid out the case for the increases.

“While I believe that Watsonville has done a better job at maintaining its infrastructure than many other communities, we still must address the issue of replacing aging facilities,” Koch wrote.

Solid waste, water and sewer are being targeted for steady increases until 2017. The monthly rate for a 32-gallon garbage container pickup is proposed to increase $1-2 every year to $30.79 by 2017, up from the current $22.58 rate. Rates for the 68- and 95-gallon cans are proposed to rise as well.

Sewer rates for residential are proposed to increase close to $9 over the five-year period. Water meter rates will also experience an increase.

Steve Palmisano, assistant director of public works and utilities for the city of Watsonville, said the proposed increases are necessary for the continued maintenance and replacement of the city’s aging water lines.

“The rate increases are being driven by the need to protect our infrastructure,” he said.



For the complete article see the 06-09-2012 issue.

Click here to purchase an electronic version of the 06-09-2012 paper.

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