HomeMy WebLinkAbout2023 Annual Water and Sewer Rate Adjustment (2) CITY OF HUNTINGTON BEACH
9 le INTERDEPARTMENTAL COMMUNICATION
TO: HONORABLE MAYOR STRICKLAND AND CITY COUNCIL
FROM: AL ZELINKA, CITY MANAGER
BY: ALVIN PAPA, DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS
DATE: MAY 4, 2023
SUBJECT: ANNUAL WATER AND SEWER RATE ADJUSTMENT
This memorandum serves to inform City Council of the annual water and sewer rate
adjustments as established by Resolutions 2019-30, 2019-31, and 2019-32.
Utilizing enterprise fund accounts, the City operates its water and sewer systems fiscally
independent of the General Fund. Our ratepayers receive the lowest possible rates,
which adjusts annually to cover increases in cost. Without the annual adjustment
provision, a five-year rate schedule would have to accommodate cost increases upfront
and would likely result in drastic increases and less accurate rates.
The City's water rate is comprised of three components: a consumption rate, a monthly
meter rate and a capital charge. In May 2019, City Council adopted Resolutions 2019-
30, 2019-31, and 2019-32 setting the water and sewer rates as follows:
• Resolution 2019-30—Adjusts the monthly sewer rate based on the customer
category: Single Family Residential, Multifamily Residential, Commercial/
Industrial, High School or K-8 elementary school.
• Resolution 2019-31 —Adjusts the water meter rates and the water meter capital
surcharge for five years
• Resolution 2019-32— Establishes the formula for adjusting the water commodity
rate for five years
Despite an increase in cost of service, the City deferred the 2020 annual rate
adjustment to assist residents/ratepayers with the economic impacts of the COVID-19
pandemic. Instead, the City funded the cost increases through the reserve balance,
which is one of the reasons why we maintain these reserves. Since then, the Water
Fund (506) reserve balance fell from $24.3 million to an estimated $18.5 million this
fiscal year. The proposed Fiscal Year 2023-24 Water Fund (506) budget contains a
$3.5 million deficit, which will bring the reserve levels close to the reserve policy level of
$15.0 million.
This year, the standard annual water rate adjustments will move forward on July 1,
2023, per the approved rate schedule and in accordance with the City Council adopted
rate resolutions. This is the final year we can utilize the 2019 rate adjustment formula.
Staff is preparing for a Proposition 218 hearing in Spring 2024 to ensure that we can
sufficiently fund our water and sewer operations and meet our minimum water and
sewer fund reserve policy requirements in the future.
The Utilities Division already started a water rate study and is preparing a request for
proposal (RFP) for a sewer rate study for release in the coming weeks.
Consumption Rate
City Council Resolution 2019-32 established the City's water consumption rate, which
funds the cost that the City pays to acquire the water that is consumed. Those cost
components include imported water purchased from the Municipal Water District of
Orange County (MWDOC), well water that is pumped from our wells and the allowable
basin pumping percentage (BPP). MWDOC is our wholesaler that delivers water from
Metropolitan Water District of Southern California (MWD). When MWD increases the
cost of water imported from across the state, the cost of that increase is passed on to
our customers within the rates. Because groundwater is less expensive, the City pumps
as much water from our underground aquifer as possible. That aquifer is managed by
the Orange County Water District (OCWD) and has an associated cost for the city. That
cost is paid in the form of a Replenishment Assessment (RA). When the cost of the RA
is increased, that increase is passed on within our rates. In addition, the BPP is set by
OCWD and is part of the calculation for the consumption rate adjustment.
Current Cost Structure
The current melded cost the City pays per acre-foot (AF) of water is $707.73. We
based this on pumping 77% of our water demand from the groundwater basin at
$558/AF and importing 23% of our water demand at$1,209/AF.
OCWD $558 77% $429.66
MWDOC $1,209 23% $278.07
Melded Cost Per AF $707.73
Charging our customers by the acre-foot is not feasible and as such, the billing is done
per CCF. A CCF is one hundred cubic feet of water (748 gallons) and is currently
charged at$2.378 per billing unit.
New Water Cost Structure
For FY 2023-24, OCWD increased the RA from $558/AF to $624/AF, but also increased
the BPP from 77% to 85%. MWDOC increased the cost to import water to $1,256/AF.
Blending those increases in our rates (pumping 85% of our water demand) results in a
cost to the City of$718.80/AF. This equates to $0.025 increase per billing unit (435.6
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billing units per AF). As a result, the new water consumption rate will increase from
$2.378 per billing unit to $2.403 per billing unit (1.07%).
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OCWD $624 85% $530.40
MWDOC $1,256 15% $188.40
Melded Cost Per AF $718.80
Monthly Meter rates
The second component of the water rate is the meter charge. This component of the
rate funds the maintenance to the system. The current rate for a three-quarter inch
meter is $17.20. Per Resolution 2019-31, the monthly meter charge is to increase
annually on July 1st. The increase matches the Consumer Price Index-All Urban
Consumers (CPIU) for the Los Angeles, Long Beach, Anaheim area for the period
available in November. This increase was 6%. This results in an increase to the base
monthly meter rate of$18.23 for a three-quarter inch meter from the previous rate of
$17.20. Larger meters are assessed based on the size of the meter.
Capital Charge
The third component of the water bill is the water meter capital charge. This fee funds
the capital improvements needed to the system as defined within the Water Master Plan
per Resolution 2019-31. This monthly meter capital charge for a three-quarter inch
meter will remain at$4.00. Larger meters are assessed based on the size of the meter.
Sewer Service Charge
The sewer service charge is the primary source of revenue for the Sewer Fund (511).
Like the Water Fund, revenues from the sewer service charge can only be used for the
operation, maintenance and capital improvement of the City's sanitary sewer system.
The charge is a set monthly rate based on the customer category. The monthly sewer
service charge will increase by matches the Consumer Price Index-All Urban
Consumers (CPIU) for the Los Angeles, Long Beach, Anaheim area for the period
available in November. This increase was 6%.
The Sewer Rate by Category
CustorCategorr . ._...)`b '.n .. � Ccurent ._mil .4 *t:,,,,,New i....tei,..
Single Family Residential $10.35 $10.97
Multi Family Residential. $8.58 $9.10
Commercial/Industrial. $12.01 $12.70
High School2 $3.30 $3.50
K-8 $2.13 $2.26
1 Per Equivalent Dwelling Unit
2 Per Average Daily Attendance
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Impact Per Household
Based on an average household consumption of 12 billing units per month, the average
household would experience an increased water bill of$2.05, or a 3.4 percent increase.
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Consumption (12 ccf) $28.54 $28.84
Meter $17.20 $18.23
Capital Charge $4.00 $4.00
Water Subtotal $49.74 $51.07
Sewer Charge $10.35 $10.97
Total Water/Sewer Bill $60.09 $62.14
Impact on Water Enterprise Fund (506) Revenues
The following increase in commodity revenues is based on an estimated 26,500 AF of
water sales. The water meter revenues are based on the portfolio of water meters in
the City system. These revenues are programmed to meet increased costs to purchase
water and operate the system.
Revenue Increase
Consumption Rate $273,429
Meter Charge $884,218
Total $1,157,647
Impact on Water Master Plan (507) Revenues
Capital Charge revenues are designated for the Water Master Plan Fund. There is no
rate adjustment this year, so Water Master Plan revenues will remain static. This
revenue is intended to fund water infrastructure capital projects.
Impact on Sewer Fund (511) Revenues
A 6.0 percent increase will result in an increase of$643,330. This adjustment is to pay
for increased costs due to inflation and other increased costs.
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