Council Split on Proposed Sewer Rate Change

Simmering tensions between lawmakers from the San Fernando Valley and South Los Angeles resurfaced Friday during a blistering City Council debate on a proposed sewer rate formula that would reduce fees for many Valley residents at the expense of those living elsewhere.

Opponents, mostly from south and central Los Angeles, said the measure pits poor against rich by increasing the fee for residents in the inner city while giving a break to those in the suburbs.

Councilman Rudy Svorinich Jr., who represents the Harbor area, where about 60% of the residents would face a higher fee under the plan, called the proposal “absolutely ludicrous.”

He suggested that supporters had orchestrated the meeting to take place when some council members most affected by the change would be absent.

“Thanksgiving is right around the corner and here is another turkey,” he said.

But supporters, mostly from the Valley, called it a plan that would more equitably disperse the cost of operating and maintaining the city’s massive but aging sewer system.

“This is not about putting one geographic area against another,” said Councilwoman Laura Chick, who represents parts of the West Valley, where 65% of the residents would get lower fees under the plan. “This is about coming up with a fair and equitable system.”

Despite the sound and fury, there was no resolution to the debate as the meeting broke up after Councilman Hal Bernson left, leaving the council without a quorum to continue legally.

One resident who nonetheless insisted on speaking out on the proposal was escorted out of the council chambers by police after he continued to shout at acting Council President Joel Wachs for not allowing him to speak.

Because the city has no way to gauge how much each home puts into the sewer system, the current fee is based on the amount of water taken in by each home. The city assumes that about 60% of the water used in each home exits through the sewer, either through washing clothes or flushing toilets.

But Valley residents and some of their council representatives say the assumption is often wrong, particularly for residents who own large lots and put most of their water into gardens and lawns.

In recent weeks, Valley residents have complained about sewer fees of up to $200 every two months.

The new formula proposed by Chick at the recommendation of the city’s Bureau of Engineers is based on the water used during the rainy winter months, when residents are less likely to water lawns and gardens.

The formula calculates the sewer fee based on the two winter months during which residents used the least amount of water. The formula assumes that 90% of the water ends up in the sewer because of the lack of outside water use.

“This charge is supposed to be based on how much we use and this winter rate will do that,” said Chick.

According to a city report, the average fee for Valley residents would drop about 8%, while fees for Westside residents would drop about 9%.

But in central Los Angeles, the annual fee would increase about 4%, and residents in the San Pedro region would pay about 1% more.

For some council members, the proposal harked back to the adoption last year of a controversial water rate formula that gave many Valley residents a break on their water bills, but increased the fees for residents in south and central Los Angeles.

“This is not a fair and equitable plan,” said Councilwoman Jackie Goldberg, who represents Hollywood and surrounding areas, where about 60% of households would face a fee increase under the proposal.

Svorinich accused supporters of the measure of deliberately introducing it on a day when council members Nate Holden and Rita Walters were absent; they both represent residents in parts of south and central Los Angeles who would face increased fees.

“This is political bologna,” he said. Chick and others rejected the charge.

In an attempt to check the accuracy of the current formula, the council’s Public Works Committee proposed that the city spend $100,000 to install special meters in 15 to 20 homes to measure the amount of sewage each house dumps into the sewer system. The measurements would then be used to check the accuracy of the current formula.

This proposal and the issue of revised sewer rates will be taken up Wednesday by the council.