Sewer Rates
Notice of a Public Hearing on Proposed Sewer Rate Increases
The City Council of the City of South San Francisco held a public hearing considering the adoption of sewer rate increases over the next three years. The proposed increases are needed to provide adequate funding for operations and maintenance, support balanced budgets, and pay for high-priority infrastructure improvements to the City’s aging wastewater facilities to maintain safe and reliable service. The proposed sewer rates reflect a 3% increase on July 1, 2024, followed by 3% increases on July 1 of the subsequent two years.
The City’s residential sewer rates are lower than most other agencies in San Mateo County and are substantially below the regional average. With the proposed rate increases, residential charges will remain low compared to other regional agencies.
The City Council held a Public Hearing on the proposed sewer rates as follows:
Date: June 12, 2024
Time: 6:00 PM or as soon thereafter as the matter may be heard
Place: Library | Parks and Recreation Center
City Council Chambers
901 Civic Campus Way, South San Francisco, CA 94080
The City also offered a Zoom videoconference platform for attending the Public Hearing and comment submission. The agenda was available several days in advance of the Public Hearing and remains on the Legistar website. As noted below, protests of the proposed sewer charges were to be submitted in writing.
Need for Sewer Rate Increases
The City’s sewer utility is a financially self-supporting enterprise funded primarily from sewer service charges. As such, sewer rates need to be set at adequate levels to support operating and maintenance expenses, debt service requirements, capital improvement needs, and other costs of supporting the enterprise. The City designed the proposed sewer rates to support inflationary operating costs and help fund priority capital improvements planned over the next three fiscal years. Capital improvements include upgrades, rehabilitation, and replacement of the sewer collection system and Water Quality Control Plant infrastructure. The City also anticipates partially drawing down sewer fund reserves to help fund capital improvement projects over the next few years.
Maximum Proposed Sewer Rates
The City plans to phase in a series of slight annual sewer rate increases and adopt a new sewer rate schedule for the next three years. The maximum proposed rates reflect the following percentage increases as shown below for informational purposes.
The table below shows a schedule of maximum sewer rates proposed for the next three years. Residential customers pay fixed annual charges per dwelling unit. Commercial/Institutional customers are billed based on metered water consumption or effluent from a prior year. Industrial customers are billed based on meter water consumption or effluent from a previous calendar year plus charges per pound of Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) and Total Suspended Solids (TSS), subject to a minimum annual amount. South San Francisco collects charges for sewer service via the San Mateo County property tax rolls, except for a small number of customers that the City bills directly.
The Sewer Rate Study(PDF, 5MB) provides the complete basis for the proposed charges and is available on the City’s website. If you need assistance regarding the Sewer Rate Study(PDF, 5MB), please contact the Public Works Department, Water Quality Control Plant Division, at 650-877-8555 or email at sewerrateinfo@ssf.net.
Community Input, Written Protest Procedures & Statute of Limitations
The Public Hearing was open for property owners and customers to attend and provide input on the proposed rates. Property owners and customers may also submit written protests against the proposed sewer rates. Protests are to be submitted in writing and must: a) identify the affected property or properties, such as by address, Assessor’s Parcel Number (APN), or customer account number, b) include the name and signature of the customer or property owner submitting the protest and c) indicate opposition to the proposed sewer rates. Property owners can mail written protests to Attn: City Clerk, P.O. Box 711, South San Francisco, CA 94083. Written protests may also be delivered in person to the City Clerk’s Office or at the Public Hearing. The City Clerk’s Office is located at 400 Grand Ave., South San Francisco, CA 94080. California law allows for only one written protest per parcel. Protests submitted by email, facsimile, or other electronic means are not authorized by California law. The South San Francisco City Council would not adopt the proposed charges if the number of written protests received equals at least a majority of affected parcels. The City Clerk must receive written protests before the close of the Public Hearing on June 12, 2024.
Additionally, pursuant to California Government Code 53759, there will be a 120-day statute of limitations for challenging any new, increased, or extended fee, including sewer rates adopted, modified, or amended.
Additional Information
If you would like additional information on the proposed sewer rates, please email Web-PW@ssf.net or call (650) 829-3840.
Low-Income Sewer Service Rebate Program
The City offers a Low-Income Sewer Service Rebate Program(PDF, 519KB) designed to provide financial assistance to residential customers based on income eligibility. Customers who are enrolled in or meet the income criteria of California Water Service’s Customer Assistance Program are eligible to receive a sewer rate rebate from the City. The rebate is currently $76 per year. For more information on the City’s (PDF, 819KB)Low-Income Sewer Service Rebate Program(PDF, 519KB), please visit the City’s website or call 650-877-8550.