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The annual sewer service charge will increase 10% per year over the next two fiscal years in Solana Beach, following a City Council vote on May 7.
Solana Beach is part of the San Elijo Joint Powers Authority, which treats the city’s wastewater, and its share of operating and capital costs are increasing, according to a city staff report. The city hasn’t raised its rates in the past five years as part of an effort to offer residents some relief in the aftermath of the Covid-19 pandemic.
“But now after the Covid pandemic, inflation hit 40-year highs and it’s affecting your costs and therefore you need to adjust your rates,” said Steve Gagnon, a city consultant.
The current charge for a single-family home is $682.30. With 10% increases over the next two fiscal years, that charge would go up to $750.54 and then $825.58.
An 8% increase in 2028 would increase it to $891.64, and 7% increases in the two years after that would bring it to $954.04 and $1,020.84.
The rate increases will generate about $562,000 per year in revenue through the 2030 fiscal year, according to the city. The funding will cover “the administration, maintenance, debt service and capital costs of the City’s Sanitation District, and the costs of the San Elijo JPA operations, including the wastewater treatment, laboratory services, ocean outfall, pump stations, capital projects and debt service,” according to a city staff report.
The city received 17 protests from residents, according to the city clerk.
Council members balked at the relatively steep increases before ultimately approving them.
“I would have rather been able to go back in time and do 2% increases over the last five years and then we would be continuing on with smaller increases,” Councilmember David Zito said. “Relative to that I would point out that when we did that five years ago, I asked for us to come back in three years and make sure it still made sense, and we weren’t able to get that done.”
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