Protest letters greet H.B. proposals for higher water rates and a new fee ahead of council hearing Monday
Hundreds of protest letters have been sent to Huntington Beach City Hall in advance of a City Council hearing Monday about possibly raising water rates and instituting a new capital improvement fee to help replace aging water infrastructure.
If approved, the new fee could begin July 1 and is expected to bring in at least $3.7 million for two years. The fee, first discussed in November, is proposed at $3 per month for most single-family residences and could rise to $4 by 2022.
Combined with proposed rate increases, single-family households could see their water bills increase by about $5 a month.
The higher rates need five affirmative votes from the seven-member council.
In November, city officials said major aspects of Huntington Beach’s massive water infrastructure, which has an estimated value of $1.4 billion, were built in the 1950s and ’60s and are reaching the end of their usefulness.
Most of the protest letters sent to City Hall were on pre-made forms filled out by tenants and owners. Others were handwritten.
Many opponents said they are senior citizens on fixed incomes. Others noted that the Orange County Sanitation District is working on its own rate increase, which means Huntington Beach residents could be hit with fee increases twice.
Residents Charles and Carina DeMarti called the proposed local increase “offensive” considering that ratepayers “were encouraged and even mandated to save and ration water. And now [we] feel like we are being penalized for doing so.”
Monday’s regular council meeting begins at 6 p.m. at City Hall, 2000 Main St.
A study session will be held at 4 p.m. with a presentation from the city’s Homeless Task Force.
Twitter: @BradleyZint
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