Public Hearing on NSD's Proposed Rate Adjustment

Napa, California – At least every five years, the Napa Sanitation District reviews its sewer service rates to determine if a rate increase is necessary to meet the revenue needs of the District.  Proposition 218 guidelines require that the District provide notification of any rate adjustment and provide an opportunity for ratepayers to weigh in on the proposed rate structure by providing a public hearing and accepting written protests.   The Public Hearing on the rate change will take place on Wednesday, March 16, 2016 at 6:00 p.m. at the Napa Unified School District Board Room, 2425 Jefferson Street in Napa.

 After conducting a thorough rate study, meeting with community stakeholders, and receiving direction from the NSD Board of Directors, the District is proposing to increase the current sewer service charge, effective July 1, 2016, by 15%, from $482.50 to $554.88 for single family residential units.  In the four subsequent years, the rates would increase 15%, 6%, 5% and 4% respectively.  The Sewer Service Charge is the amount the District’s customers pay each year for the safe collection and treatment of wastewater from homes and residences. These charges also have to account for necessary repair and replacement of sewer system infrastructure.

County Supervisor and Vice Chair of the Napa Sanitation District Board, Keith Caldwell remarked, “We understand that this rate increase is significant, but without this additional revenue, the risk of overflows and sewer collapses will greatly increase.  If we invest now to protect our system we can avoid more costly emergency repairs in the coming years.”

“Our sewer system is aging and in need of repair. I am very sensitive to rate increases and want to keep rates as low as possible,” stated Napa City Councilmember and NSD Board Director Peter Mott. “The Napa Sanitation District works hard to protect both public health and the community’s investment in the wastewater system.”

“The District works hard to keep rates as low as possible by finding ways to recover reusable resources and keep operating costs down,” points out Tim Healy, District General Manager. “We are producing more of our own energy, changing construction methods to consume fewer resources, leasing District-owned land, and employing new treatment technologies that bring our operating costs down.”

Official Proposition 218 Rate Notices will be mailed to all property owners in the District the week of January 25, 2016. Property owners who wish to protest the rate increase must submit a letter by the time of the hearing. The letter must include the names of the property owners, the properties for which the protest is entered, and must be signed by the property owner. Protests can be sent to the District at 1515 Soscol Ferry Road, Napa, CA 94558. Written protests will also be accepted at the public hearing on March 16th.  If written protests against the increase are presented by a majority of property owners, the District cannot approve the proposed increase.

Napa Sanitation District (NSD) provides wastewater collection and treatment services to the residents and businesses in the City of Napa, Silverado Country Club, the Napa County Airport and several adjacent unincorporated areas. NSD also provides recycled water service to the MST area, Los Carneros Water District and other portions of southern Napa County. Covering 20 square miles, NSD has been serving the community since November 1945. For further information about the District, please see www.NapaSanitationDistrict.com.