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Grover Beach seeking 89% sewer rate increase

April 18, 2025

By KAREN VELIE

The Grover Beach City Council wants to raise sewer rates by approximately 89% over the next five years.

The council approved a phased-in approach, with sewer rates increasing by 17.8% annually over five years, beginning July 1, 2025. For a typical single-family residential customer, the average bi-monthly bill would increase from $25.64 to $30.20 in the first year — an increase of approximately $2.28 per month.

Even with the proposed increases, Grover Beach’s wastewater rates are expected to remain among the lowest in San Luis Obispo County.

Current wastewater rates will not cover the rising costs of operations, maintenance and critical infrastructure improvements over the next five years, according to a city wastewater rate study. The proposed rate changes will help fund an estimated $15 million in needed system upgrades.

Ratepayers will have the opportunity to mount a majority protest to upend the sewer bill increases. Under Proposition 218, property owners may submit written protests to the rate increases. If more than 50% of property owners submit valid written protests, the city may not adopt the proposed rates.

On June 9, the Grover Beach City Council will hold a hearing to consider adopting the proposed rates.

 


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A dollar a day to handle and properly dispose of all the poop generated in a single household is not too much at all.


5

This is long overdue. Sewage system is one of the most important pieces of infrastructure in any modern civilized community. Unfortunately, too many people don’t want to pay their fair share to maintain a healthy system.


4

I was thinking that this is not an unreasonable action as long as it has been many years since the last rate increase. Then I got to the fifth paragraph. It says only property owners may participate in this decision. What about renters? What about business owners? Apparently they just have to pay sans due process.


It probably doesn’t matter that much. A threshold of half of all property owners having to make their own ballots and pay to send said ballots to the city is a nearly impossible bar to reach, and hardly constitutes due process.


5

Renters that have a water meter in their name CAN participate in the 218 protest process AND property owners without a meter in their name can also protest.

This scenario allows for up to 2 protest votes per property.


2

So if the public prevails on the 218 Vote, canceling the rate increase, ask what’s next?


2

Finish Grand Ave first


15

Gotta rob Peter to pay Paul.


3