Sonoma County Board of Supervisors to consider sewer rate increase

Property owners throughout Sonoma County may see an increase in sewer rates in the upcoming fiscal year.

The Sonoma County Board of Supervisors will consider a proposal Tuesday to increase annual rates by 3.5% to 8.9%, or $38 to $172, across eight districts or zones in the county. The increase is intended to cover costs of maintaining and replacing infrastructure, a county staff report said.

The increase would apply to:

• Airport-Larkfield-Wikiup Sanitation Zone
• Geyserville Sanitation Zone
• Penngrove Sanitation Zone
• Sea Ranch Sanitation Zone
• Occidental County Sanitation District
• Russian River County Sanitation District
• South Park County Sanitation District
• Sonoma Valley County Sanitation District

South Park would see a $38 increase — the lowest of the group — and Russian River would see the highest rate hike with a $172 increase.

The county expects revenue to increase in Fiscal Year 2023/2024 by about $2.5 million over FY 2022/2023.

Grant funds and the Sonoma Water General Fund provide other funding sources for the districts.

“Sonoma Water recognizes the rate increases can present a financial hardship for ratepayers,” the staff report said. “And every effort is being made to seek out grants and loans to offset some of the costs for capital projects, and to offer a Low-Income Sewer Bill Assistance Program funded from Sonoma Water’s General Fund.”

You can reach Staff Writer Emma Murphy at 707-521-5228 or emma.murphy@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter @MurphReports.