R11224City Council Meeting: January 28, 2020 Santa Monica, California
RESOLUTION NUMBER 11224 (CCS) (CITY
COUNCIL SERIES)
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF
SANTA MONICA, CALIFORNIA, REVISING WASTEWATER
RATES AND WASTEWATER SERVICES CHARGES
WHEREAS, the City Council may establish, amend or revise from time to
time by resolution the rates and service charges for supplying wastewater service
to any customer pursuant to Government Code Section 54344 and Santa Monica
Municipal Code Section 7.04.540 of the Santa Monica Municipal Code; and
WHEREAS, the City is implementing a comprehensive long-range
wastewater system improvement program with the goal of maintaining a modern,
reliable wastewater network and infrastructure and to achieve water self-
sufficiency by 2023; and
WHEREAS, in order to achieve these goals, the City is implementing
various water self-sufficiency projects as outlined in the 2018 Sustainable Water
Master Plan Update; and
WHEREAS, wastewater rate increases are needed to invest in water self-
sufficiency, maintain a modern and reliable wastewater infrastructure, and
adequately fund ongoing cost of providing wastewater services; and
WHEREAS, the City of Santa Monica is proposing wastewater rate
increases (“Wastewater Rate Increases”) over a five-year period beginning March
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1, 2020, and the proposed maximum percentage increases, on a systemwide
basis, are:
March 1,
2020
January 1,
2021
January 1,
2022
January 1,
2023
January 1,
2024
10% 10% 10% 10% 3%
; and
WHEREAS, in accordance with Government Code Section 54354,
delinquent charges and penalties for wastewater services when recorded in
accordance with Government Code Section 54355 shall constitute a lien upon the
real property served; and
WHEREAS, the City Council held a public hearing (“Hearing”) to consider
the proposed Wastewater Rate Increases on January 28, 2020; and
WHEREAS, the City Clerk gave notice of the proposed Wastewater Rate
Increases, which notice contained a copy of the proposed resolution to adopt the
Wastewater Rate Increases and a declaration that delinquent charges and
penalties when recorded as provided in Government Code section 54355 shall
constitute a lien upon the real property served, and which notice was published at
least once each week for two weeks prior to the Hearing in the Santa Monica Daily
Press, in accordance with Government Code section 54354.5; and
WHEREAS, a separate notice of the proposed Wastewater Rate Increases
was also given in accordance with Article XIII D Section 6 of the California
Constitution, by mailing such notice to the owner of record of each parcel in Santa
Monica’s service area and parcels in the City of Los Angeles who receive
wastewater service from the City of Santa Monica; and
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WHEREAS, the City Council has considered all written and oral testimony
presented at the Hearing and considered whether the proposed Wastewater Rate
Increases: are not discriminatory or excessive; will be sufficient under Government
Code section 54515; will comply with the provisions of Chapter 6 of Title 5, Division
2, Part 1 of the Government Code; will be sufficient under the provisions or
covenants of any outstanding revenue bonds of the City, if any, payable from the
wastewater rate revenues; and will be in compliance with law;
NOW, THEREFORE, THE CITY OF SANTA MONICA DOES RESOLVE AS
FOLLOWS:
SECTION 1. The City Council hereby determines that the proposed
Wastewater Rate Increases are not discriminatory or excessive; will be sufficient
under Government Code section 54515; will comply with the provisions of Chapter
6 of Title 5, Division 2, Part 1 of the Government Code; will be sufficient under the
provisions or covenants of any outstanding revenue bonds of the City, if any,
payable from the wastewater rate revenues; and will be in compliance with law.
SECTION 2. As of March 1, 2020, or as soon thereafter as practical, the
wastewater service charge will consist of a fixed charge and a commodity charge.
SECTION 3. As of March 1, 2020, or as soon thereafter as practical, the
wastewater service fixed charge for the following property classifications shall be
as follows for the following years:
BI-MONTHLY FIXED CHARGES
Property
Classification
Proposed Wastewater Rates
FY 2019/20
(3/1/20 to
12/31/20)
FY 2020/21
(1/1/21 to
12/31/21)
FY 2021/22
(1/1/22 to
12/31/22)
FY 2022/23
(1/1/23 to
12/31/23)
FY 2023/24
(1/1/24 to
12/31/24)
Residential ($/Dwelling Unit)
Single Family $14.06 $15.46 $17.01 $18.71 $19.27
MFR: Duplex + Triplex $5.66 $6.23 $6.85 $7.53 $7.76
MFR: Fourplex +
Larger $4.27 $4.69 $5.16 $5.68 $5.85
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MFR: Individually
metered $6.87 $7.55 $8.31 $9.14 $9.41
Non-Residential ($/Account)
MFR: Mixed Use $137.42 $151.16 $166.27 $182.90 $188.39
Commercial - Low $40.17 $44.18 $48.60 $53.46 $55.06
Commercial – Med. $85.39 $93.93 $103.33 $113.66 $117.07
Commercial - High $214.65 $236.12 $259.73 $285.70 $294.27
Institutional $64.76 $71.23 $78.36 $86.19 $88.78
Church/Schools $41.30 $45.43 $49.97 $54.97 $56.62
Misc. Industrial $79.11 $87.02 $95.72 $105.30 $108.46
Wastewater Only $93.76 $103.14 $113.45 $124.80 $128.54
SECTION 4. As of March 1, 2020, or as soon thereafter as practical, the
wastewater service commodity charge and the discharge factor applied to metered
water usage to calculate wastewater output for the following property
classifications shall be as follows for the following years:
BI-MONTHLY COMMODITY CHARGES
Property
Classification
Discharge
Factor
Proposed Wastewater Rates
FY
2019/20
(3/1/20 to
12/31/20)
FY
2020/21
(1/1/21 to
12/31/21)
FY
2021/22
(1/1/22 to
12/31/22)
FY
2022/23
(1/1/23 to
12/31/23)
FY
2023/24
(1/1/24 to
12/31/24)
Residential ($/HCF)
Single Family 85% $3.40 $3.73 $4.11 $4.52 $4.65
MFR: Duplex +
Triplex 90% $3.40 $3.73 $4.11 $4.52 $4.65
MFR: Fourplex +
Larger 97% $3.40 $3.73 $4.11 $4.52 $4.65
MFR: Indiv. metered 99% $3.40 $3.73 $4.11 $4.52 $4.65
Non-Residential
($/HCF)
MFR: Mixed Use 95% $3.15 $3.47 $3.81 $4.19 $4.32
Commercial – Low 93% $3.31 $3.65 $4.01 $4.41 $4.54
Commercial –
Medium 94% $3.47 $3.82 $4.20 $4.62 $4.76
Commercial – High 95% $4.60 $5.06 $5.57 $6.13 $6.31
Institutional 82% $3.38 $3.71 $4.08 $4.49 $4.63
Church/Schools 81% $3.25 $3.58 $3.94 $4.33 $4.46
Misc. Industrial 88% $3.20 $3.52 $3.87 $4.26 $4.39
Wastewater Only3 NA -- -- -- -- --
Note: HCF = hundred cubic feet
The Water Resources Manager shall have the authority to make
adjustments in discharge factors for individual users where it is determined that
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the actual quantity of wastewater discharge is substantially different from that
established in the above table.
The wastewater rates above are based on wastewater volume (determined
based on water usage and the listed discharge factors) and the property
classification, which is determined based in part on the expected concentration (or
strength) of pollutants in the wastewater discharge (“wastewater strength”).
Wastewater strength values for individual users or various types of users may
either be estimated or determined by laboratory analysis, at the direction of the
Water Resources Manager. Where wastewater strength values are estimated,
they shall be consistent with the current City of Los Angeles Amalgamated System
Sewage Generation Factors. No wastewater strength values for non-residential
users shall be less than the wastewater strength values established for residential
users. The City may revise wastewater strength values from time to time as
deemed necessary to reflect current conditions.
In the event any user believes that, based on the wastewater strength value
established by the City for its wastewater discharge, its property classification is
incorrect, that user shall have the option of having its wastewater sampled and
analyzed at its own expense by a laboratory approved by the City. The manner,
frequency, and duration of sampling and analysis shall be approved by the City to
ensure that the resultant wastewater strength value is representative of all
conditions of discharges. During the same time period when wastewater is being
analyzed, the user shall pay all wastewater service charges based on the
previously established property classification. In the event analyses show the
actual strength value to be less than or greater than the previously established
value, the City shall adjust the property classification and either refund or bill the
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user, per Santa Monica Municipal Code Sections 7.04.560 and 7.12.112, for the
difference in charges, as appropriate.
SECTION 5. On March 1, 2020, or as soon thereafter as practical,
wastewater customers who do not receive water service from the City of Santa
Monica will pay only the fixed charge established in Section 3 above.
SECTION 6. A low-income allowance will be offered to residential water
customers with individual water meters who qualify for the City’s Utilities User Tax
Exemption Program or the Southern California Gas Co. or Southern California
Edison low-income assistance programs. As of March 1, 2020, or as soon
thereafter as practical, the residential low-income wastewater commodity charge
for residential water customers with individual meters shall be as follows for the
following years:
BI-MONTHLY LOW-INCOME COMMODITY CHARGES
Property Classification
Proposed Wastewater Rates
FY
2019/20
(3/1/20 to
12/31/20)
FY
2020/21
(1/1/21 to
12/31/21)
FY
2021/22
(1/1/22 to
12/31/22)
FY
2022/23
(1/1/23 to
12/31/23)
FY
2023/24
(1/1/24 to
12/31/24)
Residential ($/HCF) $2.40 $2.73 $3.11 $3.52 $3.65
Note: HCF = hundred cubic feet
SECTION 7. In accordance with Government Code section 54354,
delinquent charges and penalties for wastewater services recorded in accordance
with Government Code section 54355 shall constitute a lien upon the real property
served.
SECTION 8. Resolution Number 10322 (CCS) is hereby repealed in its
entirety.
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SECTION 9. The City Clerk shall certify to the adoption of this Resolution,
and thenceforth and thereafter the same shall be in full force and effect.
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
_______________________
LANE DILG
CITY ATTORNEY
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Adopted and approved this 28th day of January 2020.
__________________________
K e v i n M c K e o w n , M a y o r
I, Denise Anderson-Warren, City Clerk of the City of Santa Monica, do
hereby certify that Resolution No. 11224 (CCS) was duly adopted at a meeting of
the Santa Monica City Council held on the 28th day of January 2020, by the
following vote:
AYES: Councilmembers Davis, Himmelrich, Jara, Morena, Winterer,
Mayor Pro Tem O’Day, Mayor McKeown
NOES: None
ABSENT: None
A T T E S T :
_____________________________________
Denise Anderson-Warren, City Clerk
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