City of Bakersfield approves water rate hike amid resident's opposition

BAKERSFIELD, Calif.(KBAK/KBFX) — Residents in Bakersfield will see an increase in their water bills starting next month after the city council voted unanimously to approve a five-year water rate hike. The decision, made during Wednesday’s city council meeting, comes despite vocal opposition from some residents.

“For the purposes of our water rate, the water service area within the city is limited. It is not the entire city of Bakersfield,” said Andrae Gonzalez, a city council member. He requested a map to clarify which geographical areas would be affected by the increase.

Proposition 218 notices were sent out in April, and the city received 77 written protests against the proposed increase. One Bakersfield resident expressed her disapproval during the meeting, saying, “I’ve been a resident of Bakersfield for—it seems like an ungodly amount of time. I’ve watched it grow, and it seems like inflation has had its impact on many sectors of our community’s economic life, and it would be another unbearable cost for the citizens, not just for myself.”

City staff explained that the primary reason for the rate increase is water quality treatment. “Mostly water quality treatment. Seventy percent of our water supply comes from the ground. Groundwater has different constituents that we have to treat for… the other regulations that have significantly impacted us are water conservation’s way of life. We need to encourage and promote conservation in our city, and we want to do that by utilizing rebate programs,” said a city staff member.

The rate increase is set to begin on July 1, with the highest increase of 34% occurring in the 2020-2026 fiscal year. Overall, the rate is expected to rise by 50.8%. Despite the hike, the city maintains that the new rate will remain lower than most other providers.