SAN DIEGO — If you think San Diego water rates are high now, be prepared, because they're about to go even higher.
In September, the San Diego City Council voted 5-3, approving raising water rates by almost 20% over the next two years, marking the first comprehensive rate hike in nearly eight years.
Here's what customers can expect:
- 5% hike on December 1
- 5.2 % increase July 1, 2024
- 8.75% jump in January 2025
- The increases equal a 19.8% increase
For the average single-family homeowner, that's about $12 more per month.
“It's already so expensive,” said Maria Lopez, a delegate from the San Diego Workers Benefit Council, which represents thousands of low-income families.
Lopez says, for them and so many others, $12 is a significant increase.
“Right now, I live in a two-bedroom apartment with seven people. Three of us are working and we still can’t pay for utilities and food. So, $12 makes a big difference,” said Lopez.
Not only are water rates on the rise, wastewater rates are also going up. Public Utilities recently sent customers a notice explaining wastewater will cost an additional four percent starting January 1.
The notice listed some of the reasons for these increases.
- They will help the city continue to upgrade core infrastructure by replacing aging pipelines.
- The increases will also fund the Pure Water project, which will turn wastewater into tap, providing half of the city's drinking water by 2035.
- The increases come at a time when Public Utilities has been under intense scrutiny for billing issues and poor customer service, a topic CBS 8 has detailed in a series of Working For You stories.
- The agency is in the process of implementing changes to address both issues and says the rate hikes will contribute to those fixes as well.
District 5 Councilmember Marni von Wilpert, who voted against the rate hike told CBS8:
“I felt strongly that it was the City’s responsibility to fix longstanding customer service and billing issues prior to moving forward with the proposed rate increase,” said Councilmember von Wilpert. “While we absolutely do need these funds for critical infrastructure, the Public Utilities Department should have addressed the longstanding customer service issues well before this rate increase was brought forward for final approval.”
For information on financial and rebate programs that could help customers who qualify, click here.
WATCH RELATED: Water rates could hike in second San Diego County city