Brentwood council votes to lower previously approved water rates

BRENTWOOD After cost-saving measures by the city an expected hike in water rates for Brentwood residents has been cut nearly in half The Brentwood City Council voted unanimously on July to lower the rate from the previously approved to the recommended for the fiscal year Residents Works Director Casey Wichert declared as part of the ongoing fiscal review staff determined there wasn t a necessity to have the original increase largely due to operational savings The weather believe it or not causes the biggest impact on the therapy plant reported Wichert Lower chemical usage associated with good quality water in the Delta is the major reason for that In June the City Council had adopted its rate structure for water wastewater and solid waste utilities for fiscal years through It then requested that staff analyze the annual revenue and expenses of the Water Wastewater and Solid Waste Enterprise Fund to determine if a full rate increase was needed each year This year staff determined that a increase would suffice to cover the expenditures of the fund According to a staff record various factors contributed to the healthy finances in the enterprise fund such as the cancellation of the expansion on Los Vaqueros Reservoir in Contra Costa County better quality of water in the Delta resulting in lower healing costs to convey and treat water and a operational budget savings in personnel costs Mayor Susannah Meyer sought how residents would be notified of the water rate reduction Wichert stated they would receive notifications in their bill inserts We ve also sent out selected social media blasts and we will put it on our website as well commented Wichert Meyer also required how often the quality of water is being evaluated at the therapy plants Wichert declared laboratories run tests daily Those tests lead to chemical dosages Those chemicals are very expensive and when the water is cleaner it requires less chemicals so our costs go down stated Wichert