The Proposition 218 Notice is to advise property owners and ratepayers served by the Burney Water District (BWD or District) of a proposed increase in the sewer base and commodity rates.

If adopted, proposed sewer rate adjustments would become effective on the billing statement you will receive on or around July 1, 2025, with subsequent annual rate adjustments effective July 1st thereafter through 2029. This notice provides information about a Public Hearing on April 24, 2025, at which written and oral comments will be considered and a vote on the increase will be taken by the BWD Board of Directors. Furthermore, it provides information as to why BWD needs to increase rates.

At the board meeting on November 21, 2024, the BWD Board of Directors approved the Burney Water District Sewer Utility Rate Study completed by PACE Engineering, Inc. (PACE). In compliance with State Proposition 218, passed by California voters in 1996, BWD is hereby notifying all affected property owners and sewer customers of the proposed rate changes.

A copy of the Proposition 218 Notice and Sewer Utility Rate Study can be found in the links below.

 Why are sewer rates being increased?

The last sewer rate increase was adopted by the BWD in 2015. PACE was retained by the District to review current sewer service charges and recommend rate adjustments to cover the costs of operating and maintaining the sewer system. This included needed improvements remaining that were recommended in the 2014 Sewer Master Plan (2014 SMP) completed by PACE, which were not completed as part of the most recent WWTP and Collection System Improvement Projects.

The Rate Study presented the results of the review and analysis of the District’s current sewer service charges. This review was conducted to determine if the current rate structure provides adequate revenues needed to allow the District to recover the total costs of operating and maintaining the sewer system from existing and future customers. Costs reviewed included personnel, operation and maintenance (O&M), debt service, normal additions and replacements to the systems, administration, capital improvement programs, and depreciation. The Rate Study identified that current sewer rates do not provide sufficient revenues to sustain expenditures or the capital replacement program at levels needed for long-term sustainability. 

The purpose of the Rate Study was also to identify changes to the District’s current rate structure needed to provide future revenues to meet projected costs. The proposed rate structure was developed under the premise that service charges would be equitable such that, as nearly as practical, each customer would pay their fair share of the costs of providing the services received.

 How will the proposed increase affect my sewer bill? The typical residential sewer bill will increase annually over the next five years by the following amounts: $14.41 (40%), $15.13 (30%), $9.18 (14%), $5.98 (8%), and $1.61 (2%). Non-residential accounts will all now be charged based on winter water usage as well. This methodology will provide consistent base-rate practices for all District accounts.

If rates were increased more slowly, the District would continue to operate in the red for a longer period of time, improvements could not be constructed as soon as needed, adequate reserve funds would not accumulate, and depreciation would not be funded.

A public hearing before the Board of Directors of the Burney Water District to consider the issue of a rate increase is scheduled for:

6:30 pm, Thursday, April 24, 2025

Burney Water District Office Board Meeting Room

20222 Hudson Street

Burney, CA  96013

 You are invited to present oral or written testimony on the proposal at the public hearing. You have the right to protest this proposed rate increase. If you do, you must submit your protest in writing, even if you plan to attend the public hearing. If written protests are submitted by a majority of the affected property owners or customers, the proposed rate changes will not be imposed.

Your written protest must be received prior to the close of the April 24, 2025, public hearing. Written protests must include a description of the parcel (parcel number) or utility (BWD) account number. E-mail protests will not be accepted. Send or deliver written protests to:

 Board Secretary

Burney Water District

20222 Hudson Street

Burney, CA 96013

We want to keep this rate increase as low as we can to minimize the financial impact on you, the ratepayers. However, we need to be able to adequately finance our operations in order to continue to provide environmentally safe disposal of wastewater. We appreciate the opportunity to serve you.