ANTIOCH — In an effort to support its new brackish desalination plant and other improvements, water rates in Antioch are set to rise after the city council on Tuesday approved a new five-year plan.
Starting May 1, the cost of water will increase as much as 7% annually for a single-family home and then potentially rise further over a five-year period. The Antioch City Council approved the rate jump in a 4-1 vote. Councilmember Tamisha Torres-Walker was the lone no vote.
Water rates in Antioch have remained unchanged since July 2019, but city officials said the adjustments are necessary.
“Operating costs have continued to incrementally, and at times substantially, increase each year for personnel, utilities, water purchase costs from Contra Costa Water District when the city cannot pump from the river, and other maintenance costs of the city’s water treatment plant,” said Antioch City Manager Bessie Marie Scott.
According to a staff report, the new brackish desalination plant that is expected to start operating within the next few months requires increased personnel and maintenance costs.
Currently, the city draws water from the Contra Costa Canal and the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta. Antioch’s water treatment facility produces 38 million gallons of water per day. The brackish water desalination facility is expected to treat and convert 6 million gallons a day from the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta into drinking water.
Antioch received a $60 million state loan from the State Water Resources Control Board to pay for a portion of the construction costs for the desalination facility. Principal and interest payments are set to begin this July for a 30-year period.
“As part of the loan terms, the State Water Resources Control Board requires, and City has agreed, to prescribe and collect rates each fiscal year to generate revenues in the amounts necessary to cover operations and maintenance as well as annual debt service coverage,” the city stated in a staff report. “Failure to comply with the debt service coverage is considered an ‘Event of Default’ under the loan terms.”
The city has been evaluating its water rates for nearly a year. After several proposals were presented to the council, it accepted a draft report with an updated cash flow and proposed rate in January.
Antonio Martinez, a member of the Contra Costa Water District Board of Directors, said water agencies across the state are facing challenges due to the rising costs of chemicals, energy, contracts, insurance, and other factors.
“I’m glad that Antioch is taking the steps in the right direction because we can’t keep kicking the can down the road, we have to face those costs now,” said Martinez. “So, I support raising rates to maintain a robust water system to ensure we have water at the tap when we (need) it.”
Councilmember Donald Freitas said the previous city council made the right decision not to raise rates during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“And although it was a good decision back then, we are now paying the price. I don’t think there’s any other alternative for us,” said Freitas.
Torres-Walker said some households are still struggling with a high cost of living.
“We’re acting as if people who couldn’t afford it then could afford it now, that’s just not true,” said Torres-Walker. “… I understand the city needs to raise water rates to pay off debts so our creditors won’t look at us in a negative light, but I also understand that there are people who can’t afford it. So I am going to remain a no.”
