Public Hearing To Consider Proposed Water and Wastewater Rate Increases

PLEASE TAKE NOTICE THAT the Calistoga City Council will conduct a Public Hearing to consider proposed rates for water and wastewater services. The costs incurred by the City to operate, maintain, repair, and replace infrastructure such as pipes, pumps, treatment systems, and other essential facilities continue to increase. The proposed rates will ensure that the water and wastewater utilities collect sufficient revenue to cover the operating and capital expenses needed to maintain reliable service and run the water and wastewater utilities efficiently and consistently with industry standards.

6 pm Tuesday, December 5
Calistoga Community Center
1307 Washington Street, Calistoga, CA 94515

Customer Notification

The City mailed the Public Hearing Notice, also available below, to all property owners of record and water and wastewater utility customers, in accordance with Article XIII-D, Section 6 of the California Constitution (“Proposition 218”).

All those interested are invited, but not required, to appear at the time and place of the Public Hearing to give oral or written testimony. The City Council will hear and consider public input regarding the proposed rate adjustments at the Public Hearing on December 5, 2023, and determine whether to adopt the proposed rates. The City Council cannot increase rates beyond the amounts listed in this Notice. If adopted, proposed water and wastewater rate adjustments would become effective on March 1, 2024, with annual rate adjustments effective on January 1 of each year from 2025 through 2028.

For complete information about public participation and how to protest rate increases, please refer to the mailed Notice that is also linked below.

2023 Proposition 218 Notice in English and Spanish (PDF)

2023 Cost of Service Rate Study Report  (PDF)

To keep pace with inflation and rising costs of providing safe, reliable water and sewer services, the City of Calistoga has been conducting comprehensive utility rates studies of its water and wastewater (sewer) services. Financial consultants and City staff have been working diligently on a series of steps involving data evaluation and technical analyses to derive customer rates while considering customer impacts of any rate modifications. The goal of the rates studies is to ensure that the rates customers pay for water and sewer services are:

• Fair, equitable, and aligned with community values and priorities
• Sufficient to ensure the continued financial viability of City utilities
• Sufficient to enable critical maintenance and infrastructure investment to continue high levels of service while complying with ever more stringent regulatory requirements
• Aligned with best practices and in accordance with state law

Watch a quick video about Calistoga's current Rate Study:

• Public Hearing – 6 pm Tuesday, Dec. 5, 2023 – Agenda Coming Soon
• City Council Meeting – October 3, 2023
• City Council Meeting – September 19, 2023 – Item 8.2
• SECOND Community Open House, August 24, 2023
• City Council Meeting – May 2, 2023 – Item 8.2
• October 20, 2022 - Prepared and published Frequently Asked Questions
• FIRST Community Open House, October 5, 2022 Event Flier

View/Print the Rate Study FAQs:  English OR Spanish

Throughout the rates study into early 2023, the community is encouraged to provide input. Questions and comments can be submitted via email to ratestudy@ci.calistoga.ca.us or call the Public Works Department at (707) 942-2780. Updates and information about future public engagement will be posted to this webpage. 

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