The proposed rates will ensure the City collects sufficient revenue to cover operating and capital expenses to maintain high-quality, reliable water and sewer services. The proposed rates were determined based on the projected revenue needed to fund:

• Operations and Maintenance, such as supplies, chemicals, electricity, etc.
• Capital Improvements, such as large projects to repair/replace pipes, wells, pump stations and equipment.
• Debt Service to pay back loans.
• Reserves to meet minimum debt service requirements and fund emergency or unplanned expenses.

View 2025 Water and Sewer Rates Study

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Current rates are not sufficient to sustain the utility enterprise funds. Over the past five years, cumulative inflation doubled compared to projected and typical rates. In addition, ongoing deferrals of critical infrastructure could compromise the reliability of the City’s aging systems. If critical maintenance and replacements are not prioritized, it could lead to higher costs and possible increased regulatory oversight and fines by permitting agencies.

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Please note that pursuant to California Government Code Section 53759, there is a 120-day statute of limitations for judicially challenging all rates set forth in this Notice that runs from the date that the West Sacramento City Council adopts a Resolution approving proposed rates.

The proposed water and sewer rates are subject to a majority protest process under Proposition 218.

Any record owner of a property that receives water and/or sewer service from the City or occupant who is directly liable for payment of the City’s water and/or sewer service charges (Customer of Record) may submit a Written Protest against the proposed rate adjustments for water and/or sewer service. Owners of multiple parcels may file one Protest for each parcel owned within the City’s service area. Only one Written Protest against the proposed rate adjustments for the water or sewer service charges per parcel will be counted in determining whether a majority protest exists.

Written PROTEST Procedures

A Written Protest must include all of the following to be counted in determining whether there is a majority protest (50% + 1):

• Clearly stated opposition to the proposed rates and charges for the water service, sewer service, or both, as applicable;
• Name of the property owner of record or account holder who is submitting the Protest;
• Identification by street address or other clear identification of the property for which the protest is made; and
• Signature and legibly printed name of the record property owner or customer who is submitting the Protest.

Written Protests may be delivered to the City Clerk during the Public Hearing. In advance of the Public Hearing, written Protests may be mailed or personally delivered to the City Clerk at the Submittal Location shown below by 5 p.m. on March 18, 2026, or submitted in person at the Public Hearing, prior to the close of the hearing. No e-mailed or faxed Protests will be accepted, nor late postmarked Protests or Written Protests submitted after the conclusion of the Public Hearing.

At the Public Hearing, the City Council will accept and consider all Written Protests and hear all oral comments on the proposed rate adjustments. However, oral comments will not be counted in determining the existence of a majority protest.

What is a Majority Protest? The existence of a majority protest will be determined separately for proposed water rate adjustments and proposed sewer rate adjustments. A majority protest against the proposed water or sewer rate adjustments will exist if at the end of the Public Hearing there are written protests submitted and not withdrawn that represent a majority of the parcels (50% +1) that receive water or sewer service, as applicable. The City Council cannot adopt proposed rate adjustments if a majority protest exists.

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SUBMITTAL LOCATIONS FOR  WRITTEN PROTESTS AND  WRITTEN OBJECTIONS:

Mail:  City of West Sacramento, ATTN: City Clerk  1110 W. Capitol Avenue, West Sacramento, CA 95691  In Person:  City of West Sacramento City Hall, City Clerk’s Office  1110 W. Capitol Avenue, West Sacramento, CA 95691  E-mail:  Written Objections Only (Written Protests are not accepted  by e-mail) clerk@cityofwestsacramento.org

 

 

Written OBJECTION Procedures - Exhaustion of Administrative Remedies

How do I preserve my ability to judicially challenge the Proposed Rates? Pursuant to California Government Code Sections 53759.1 and 53759.2, a person or entity will be prohibited from bringing a judicial action or proceeding alleging that the proposed rates do not comply with Proposition 218 unless that person or entity has submitted a Written Objection to the proposed rates according to the procedures described below. A Written Objection is known as an Exhaustion of Administrative Remedies requirement and serves a separate purpose (detailed herein) than a Written Protest. To exhaust your administrative remedies, your Written Objection must include the specific grounds for alleging noncompliance of the proposed rates with Proposition 218.

Written Objections may be emailed, mailed, or personally delivered to the City Clerk at a Submittal Location provided below and must be received by the City Clerk by 4 p.m. on Thursday, February 19, 2026. Note that this deadline for submitting a Written Objection is earlier than the deadline for submitting a Written Protest.

A failure to timely object to the proposed rate adjustments in writing bars any right to challenge the rate adjustments through a legal proceeding. The City will prepare written responses to all timely Written Objections for the City Council’s consideration. Although a Written Objection and a Written Protest serve different purposes, a Written Objection that also complies with the requirements for a Written Protest (see enclosed, “How to Protest Proposed Rate Adjustments”) will be counted as a Written Protest in determining whether there is a majority protest against the proposed rate adjustments.

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SUBMITTAL LOCATIONS FOR  WRITTEN PROTESTS AND  WRITTEN OBJECTIONS:

Mail:  City of West Sacramento, ATTN: City Clerk  1110 W. Capitol Avenue, West Sacramento, CA 95691  In Person:  City of West Sacramento City Hall, City Clerk’s Office  1110 W. Capitol Avenue, West Sacramento, CA 95691  E-mail:  Written Objections Only (Written Protests are not accepted    by e-mail) clerk@cityofwestsacramento.org

Under Proposition 218, a written protest is how property owners or customers formally oppose the proposed rate increases. If more than 50% (a majority) of the property owners or customers protest, the City cannot adopt the new rates. While customers are welcome to provide oral comments for the Council’s consideration at the Public Hearing on March 18, 2026, oral comments will not be counted in determining the existence of a majority protest. 

A written objection, however, must be submitted in writing by February 19, 2026, and must state specific legal or factual reasons why they believe the rates may not comply with the law. The objection does not stop the rate increases by itself, but if someone does not submit a written objection on time, they lose the right to challenge the rate adjustments in court. A written objection can also count as a protest if it meets all protest requirements.

The City’s water rate structure includes two components: 1) a fixed service charge and 2) a consumption (volumetric) rate based on water use by meter size as shown in the tables below.

 TABLE 1: Proposed 5-Year Schedule of Monthly Water Fixed Charges

The fixed charge covers the cost of providing service, including water treatment, system maintenance, meter reading, billing, and customer service. Table 1 shows the current and proposed monthly water service charge by meter size over the next five years. Most city water customers have a 3/4-inch or 1-inch metered connection.

TABLE 2: Proposed 5-Year Schedule of Monthly Water Consumption (Volumetric) Rates
Table 2 shows the current and proposed monthly water consumption (volumetric) rate, which is the amount each Residential and Commercial customer pays per hundred cubic feet of water used. NOTE: The consumption water rate is in dollars per hundred cubic feet ($/hcf). One hundred cubic feet is equal to 748 gallons.

TABLE 3: Proposed 5-Year Schedule of Monthly Water Flat Rates
Table 3 shows the current and proposed monthly water flat rate over the next five years for customers with a meter that does not measure consumption.

Table 4. Proposed 5-Year Schedule of Monthly Sewer Fixed Charges and Volumetric Rates for All Customers
Table 4 shows the current and proposed monthly sewer service charges and volumetric rates over the next five years. The volumetric sewer rate is in dollars per hundred cubic feet ($/hcf). NOTE: These rates and charges do not include Sacramento Area Sewer District treatment costs that are included as a pass-through on customer bills.

 

*ESD = 1 Equivalent Single-Family Dwelling as defined by Sacramento Area Sewer District in the Treatment and Resource Recovery Ordinance

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A comparison of similar Single-Family Residential combined water and sewer bills in neighboring cities is shown in the chart below. The asterisk (*) symbol defines that the mentioned rate includes Sacramento Area Sewer District treatment costs. 

The average bill comparison for Roseville is $105.90. 

The average bill comparison for Folsom is $106.13. *

The average bill comparison for West Sacramento (current) is $106.22. *

The average bill comparison for Davis is $117.21.

The average bill comparison for West Sacramento (proposed) is $126.84. *

The average bill comparison for Sacramento is $127.42. *

The average bill comparison for Lincoln is $149.64.

The average bill comparison for Elk Grove is $162.27. *

The average bill comparison for Woodland is $180.00.

Bill calculator coming soon...

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