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Atascadero, Grover Beach city councils vote to raise sewer rates

June 11, 2025

By KAREN VELIE

Both Grover Beach and Atascadero city councils voted this week to raise their sewer rates to cover maintenance and infrastructure improvements.

Both councils voted in favor of their city’s proposed rate increases in April. Under Proposition 218, property owners may submit written protests to the rate increases. If more than 50% of property owners submitted valid written protests, the city may not adopt the proposed rates.

On Monday, the Grover Beach City Council reported that the city received 382 protests, significantly below the more than 50% threshold. The council than voted unanimously to to raise sewer rates by approximately 89% over the next five years.

On Tuesday, the Atascadero City Council noted it received only six protests. The council then vote unanimously to raise sewer rates by approximately 37% over the next two years.

 


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Fortunately the small town of Santa Margarita, with a few private exceptions, meet all regulatory standards to remain on septic tanks. As we all read, sewer system routinely fail and discharge into some waterway, even to the extend of beach closing waste contamination. I understand to grow vertical and provide that SMART growth, sewer system are necessary. Unfortunately they fail and when they are fined by the RWQCB, the subscribers are not notified until there is a rate increase for whatever reason.


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Good thing the 5 cities are not getting a new waste water treatment facility out of this rate hike. Makes cents, right?


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The % increase is NOT the sum of the annual increase of 17.8% (17.8% x 5 years = 89%) That would be wrong on a quiz because 17.8% is added every year to the increased amount, so the real increase on the current rate is much higher.


Look at the current rate ($25.64) & the 7.1.29 rate ($58.16) to see it more than doubles, which is NOT 89%. (Doubling is 100% increase.)


It’s a trick government agencies use to get public & media buy-in.


You get % increase by subtracting the current rate ($25.64) from the final rate ($58.16) & dividing the difference ($32.52) by the current rate ($32.52/$25.64), = 1.27 = 127%.


The “5-year” increase starts at the beginning of fiscal year 5 (7.1.29) = 4 years.


The reality is that today’s rate will more than double in 4 years. Calling it anything else is a big disservice to your readers. The actual increase is 127% in 4 years.


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