Calaveras County officials approve increased water rates for residents - KCRA Sacramento

Increased Calaveras County water rates set for residents

Calaveras County officials approve increased water rates for residents

Water rates for people living in Calaveras County will increase.

The Calaveras County Water District passed the rate increase Wednesday night. The first increase will be 22%, and other hikes will happen over the course of five fiscal years.

Here is a breakdown of the water rates for each year.

- Fiscal Year 2024: 22% — Originally Proposed: 22%
- Fiscal Year 2025: 12% — Originally Proposed: 18%
- Fiscal Year 2026: 13% — Originally Proposed: 16%
- Fiscal Year 2027: 7% — Originally Proposed: 16%
- Fiscal Year 2028: 7% — Originally Proposed: 15%

The district also approved wastewater rate increases. The breakdown for those hikes are below.

- Fiscal Year 2024: 12% — Originally Proposed: 14%
- Fiscal Year 2025: 12% — Originally Proposed: 14%
- Fiscal Year 2026: 12% — Originally Proposed: 14%
- Fiscal Year 2027: 6% — Originally Proposed: 14%
- Fiscal Year 2028: 5% — Originally Proposed: 3%

Both increases will go into effect in October and be adjusted each July.

Some worry that they might not be able to afford the rate increases on top of inflation and high living costs.

Michael Minkler, the water district’s general manager, told KCRA 3 in August the reason for the increased rate proposal is in part to help with company salaries. He said it’s mostly aimed at helping with the costs of construction and improvements of critical infrastructure projects.

Community members are not the only ones feeling the impacts of inflation, Minkler said in August, as operations costs have gone up for the district in at least the last two years.

Minkler also said in August that the work is especially needed since many parts of Calaveras County are considered at higher risk for fires than other parts of the state due to elevation and dense forests.