Revenue Summary Chart - Sewer Service Fees

Transcription

1 ATTACHMENT NO. 3 Revenue Summary Chart - Sewer Service Fees FY Sanitation Zone or FY FY FY Rate Rate Revenue Incr. County Sanitation Rate Per Rate Per Projected Dollar Percent due to Rate District ESD ESD ESDs Change Change Change Geyserville SZ % 16,020 Penngrove SZ 1,326 1, % 21,280 Sea Ranch SZ 1,045 1, % 18,197 Airport - LW SZ , % 142,450 Occidental CSD 1,998 2, % 19,180 Russian River CSD 1,355 1,416 3, % 195,383 Sonoma Valley CSD , % 628,092 South Park CSD , % 125,085 TOTAL REVENUES $1,165,687 * 1) Reflects impacts of rate increase and/or estimated change in the number of ESDs. 2) Revenues shown above reflect only the charges to the users. However, operational revenues mentioned under the Summary of Issues and Significant Changes in Attachment 5 include other operational revenues such as interest on pooled cash. 5/10/2016

2 ATTACHMENT NO. 4 Summary of Issues and Significant Changes - Sanitation General Sanitation Overview The Sonoma County Water Agency ( Agency ) has been responsible for the County sanitation functions effective January 1, 1995, as part of the County s reorganization process. The Sanitation Zones ( SZ or Zone ), which are owned and operated by the Agency, include Airport-Larkfield- Wikiup, Geyserville, Penngrove, and Sea Ranch. The County Sanitation Districts ( CSD or District ) which are operated by the Agency under contract include Occidental, Russian River, Sonoma Valley, and South Park. Generally, and for the past several years, costs have been increasing in the sanitation budget requests due to price increases for services and supplies, continuation of the capital replacement programs (described later in this narrative), cost of salaries and benefits, and the effort to improve the service. As a result, the FY 2016/2017 sewer service rates are proposed to increase between 3.0% and 5.0% for the various Zones and Districts. The rate increases for these Zones and Districts are necessary to fund operational and capital program expenditures. The Agency has undertaken an effort to implement capital replacement programs within the sanitation Zones and Districts. The purpose of the programs is to provide for long-term replacement of existing facilities that have reached the end of their useful life or must be upgraded to comply with increasing stringent regulatory requirements. The cost of the programs is financed, when possible, through operating transfers from the operations fund at each Zone or District to the construction fund of that Zone or District. If the operations fund does not have sufficient cash available for transfer to the construction fund, a transfer will not be made for that fiscal year and the scheduled capital replacement projects may be delayed until the next fiscal year. In January 2000, Agency staff held a Sanitation Workshop presenting a summary of operational and regulatory issues associated with sanitation systems operated by the Agency, providing information regarding past operational practices, changes in the regulatory environment, the estimated cost of sanitation services, and strategies for addressing current and future operational issues. Three levels of service and their costs were identified for each of the sanitation systems and are described below. Minimum Level of Service: Includes services necessary for the protection of public health, employee safety, and public safety. Standard Level of Service: Includes services necessary to operate and maintain the sanitation systems in order to limit or reduce the risk of (1) service interruption, and (2) violations of the respective National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit or Waste Discharge Requirements issued by the California Regional Water Quality Control Boards. A Standard Level of Service is obtained when net operational revenues, calculated as operational revenues less services and supplies, are positive. Asset Preservation Level of Service: Includes services and programs necessary to provide for a Standard Level of Service plus investments needed to replace or upgrade capital equipment. An Asset Preservation Level of Service is obtained when net operational revenues, calculated as routine A4-1

3 operating revenues less routine operating expenses, meet or exceed annual depreciation costs. Rate increases, discussed in more detail below, have been proposed with the objective of meeting the Standard Level of Service for most entities and the Asset Preservation Level of Service for some entities. The following paragraphs provide a summary of the budget requests, and applicable rate increases, proposed in each Zone and District. All annual service charges are presented are in terms of cost per equivalent single family dwelling (ESD). Airport-Larkfield-Wikiup Sanitation Zone The budgeted operational revenues for FY 2016/2017 are $3,393,000 and the routine operating expenses (Services and Supplies plus Contingency expenses) are $2,908,000. The net operating revenues, $485,000, are not sufficient to cover budgeted costs for debt services $492,000. Operational Fund reserves will be used to cover the remaining shortfall. There are no planned capital projects for FY 2016/2017. The requested annual service charge for FY 2016/2017 is $858, representing a 4.5% increase (or $37) from FY 2016/2017. The requested budget will fund the programs and services necessary to provide a Standard Level of Service. In order to provide an Asset Preservation Level of Service, this zone s net operational revenue ($485,000) would need to equal or exceed its depreciation expenses ($1,038,000). Geyserville Sanitation Zone The budgeted operational revenues for FY 2016/2017 are $426,000 and the routine operating expenses (Services and Supplies plus Contingency expenses) are $356,000. The net operating revenues ($70,000), a transfer of funds from SCWA General Fund will be used to cover the remaining shortfall. The Construction Fund budget request for FY 2016/2017 is $36,000 which will fund costs for treatment plant improvement projects The requested annual service charge for FY 2016/2017 is $951, representing a 5.0% increase (or $45) from FY 2015/2016. The requested increase will fully fund the programs and services necessary to provide an Asset Preservation Level of Service since the operating revenues ($426,000) exceeds this zone s depreciation expense ($47,000). Penngrove Sanitation Zone The budgeted operational revenues for FY 2016/2017 are $719,000 and the routine operating expenses (Services and Supplies plus Contingency funding) are $687,000. The net operating revenues are ($32,000) operational fund reserve will be used for capital equipment expense ($100,000). The Construction Fund budget request for FY 2016/2017 is $256,000 which will fund costs for treatment plant improvement projects. The requested annual service charge for FY 2016/2017 is $1,366, representing a 3.0% (or $40) increase from FY 2015/2016. The requested budget will fund the programs and services necessary to provide a Standard Level of Service. In order to provide an Asset Preservation Level of Service, A4-2

4 this zone s net operational revenue ($32,000) would need to equal or exceed its depreciation expenses ($55,000). Sea Ranch Sanitation Zone The budgeted operational revenues for FY 2016/2017 are $613,000 and the routine operating expenses (Services and Supplies plus Contingency funding) are $559,000. The net operating revenues are $54,000. Discretionary transfers to the Construction Fund are budgeted at $40,000. The Construction Fund budget request for FY 2016/2017 is $40,000 which will fund costs for future facility upgrades. The requested rate per ESD for FY 2016/2017 annual service charge is $1,076, representing a 3.0% (or $31) increase from FY 2015/2016. The requested increase will fund the programs and services necessary to provide an Asset Preservation Level of Service since the net operating revenues ($54,000) exceed this zone s depreciation expense ($30,000). Occidental CSD The budgeted operational revenues for FY 2016/2017 are $1,466,000 and the routine operating expenses (Services and Supplies plus Contingency expenses) are $1,116,000. Because the operating revenues are not sufficient to cover routine operational costs, an operating transfer from the Agency s General Fund of $910,000 is necessary. A portion of this General Fund transfer will be subsequently transferred from this district s Operations Fund to its Construction Fund as is described below. The Construction Fund budget requested for FY 2016/2017 is $640,000 for the design and implementation of a truck willing station at the lift station site. This project will include site improvements, piping and pumping modifications and electrical upgrades. The requested annual service charge for FY 2016/2017 is $2,068, representing a 3.5% (or $70) increase from FY 2016/2017. The requested service charge will not provide sufficient funding for the programs and services necessary to provide a Standard Level of Service; as a result, transfers from the Water Agency's General Fund are necessary. Russian River CSD The budgeted operational revenues for FY 2016/2017 are $4,768,000 and the routine operating expenses (Services and Supplies plus Contingency funding) are $3,778,000. The net operating revenues are $990,000. Because the operating revenues are not sufficient to cover routine operational costs, an operating transfer from the Agency s General Fund of $370,000 is necessary. Debt service and capital equipment expenses are budgeted at $644,000. The Construction Fund budget requested for FY 2016/2017 is $640,000 which will fund costs for the design and construct a receiving station for the hauled septage to be treated from the Occidental treatment plant. This costs will be reimbursed by the Occidental Sanitation District. The requested rate per ESD for FY 2016/2017 annual service charges is $1,416, representing a 4.5% (or $61) increase from FY 2015/2016. The requested budget will fund the programs and services necessary to provide a Standard Level of Service. In order to provide an Asset Preservation Level of Service, this zone s net operational revenue ($990,000) would need to equal or exceed its A4-3

5 depreciation expenses ($1,476,000). Sonoma Valley CSD The budgeted operational revenues for FY 2016/2017 are $17,028,000 and the routine operating expenses (Services and Supplies plus Contingency funding) are $11,040,000. The net operating revenues are $5,988,000. Debt service, capital equipment expenses and discretionary transfers to the Construction Fund are budgeted at $8,912,000. A total of $7,700,000 is requested in FY 2016/2017 Construction Fund budget for the following capital projects: Main Replacement 6 th Street to Agua Creek ($4,533,000), Amortized Work in Progress Outlay ($157,000), Re-line Equalization Basins ($50,000), Recycled Water Pipeline-5 th Street East/Denmark Street ($205,000), future sewer trunk/collection system replacement ($500,000), local hazard mitigation project ($100,000) and treatment plant pump and piping upgrade ($2,155,000). These projects are funded through bonds, loans, grants and transfers from the Operations Fund.. The requested rate per ESD for FY 2016/2017 annual service charges is $926, representing a 4.0% ($36) increase from FY 2015/2016. The requested increase will fund the programs and services necessary to provide an Asset Preservation Level of Service since the net operating revenues ($5,988,000) exceeds this district s depreciation expense ($3,724,000). South Park CSD The budgeted operational revenues for FY 2016/2017 are $3,608,000 and the routine operating expenses (Services and Supplies, Sewer Capacity Rights, and Contingency funding) are $2,708,000. The net operating revenues are $900,000. Debt service, capital equipment expenses and discretionary transfers to the Construction Fund are budgeted at $661,000. The remaining net revenues will add to the Operations Fund balance and is planned for future transfers to the Construction Fund for collection system replacement projects. The Agency is presently planning to replace three sections of the collection system between FY 2016/2017 and FY 2018/2019 including the following projects: West Robles and Blackwell Tract. The requested rate per ESD for FY 16/17 is $903 representing a 3.5% (or $31) increase from FY 2015/2016. This increase is necessary to meet obligations to the City of Santa Rosa in completing the required work on the collection system. The requested increase will fund the programs and services necessary to provide an Asset Preservation Level of Service since the net operating revenues ($900,000) exceed this district s depreciation expense ($430,000). A4-4

6 Attachment #5 Sonoma County Water Agency Airport-Larkfield-Wikiup Sanitation Zone NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING REGARDING PROPOSED SEWER SERVICE FEE INCREASE Date, Time, and Place of Public Hearing On May 17, 2016 at 2:10 p.m. or as soon thereafter as the matter may be heard, in the Board Meeting Room, 575 Administration Drive, Room 102A, Santa Rosa, California, the Board of Directors (Board) of the Sonoma County Water Agency (Agency) will conduct a public hearing to consider increasing the annual sewer service fee to be collected on account of sewage collection and treatment services provided by the sewer system of the Airport-Larkfield-Wikiup Sanitation Zone (Zone) to property within the Zone. Property Owner Obligation The fee will be imposed on each parcel upon which is located one or more structures which are connected to the system and the fee will be collected on the general property tax bill administered by Sonoma County. Payment of the fee will be the responsibility of the owner of the parcel. What the Fee is for and How the Funds Collected Will be Used The fee is imposed for two purposes: (a) to finance the ongoing operation and maintenance costs of the system and, (b) to pay the capital replacement program costs of the system. The purpose of the capital replacement program is to provide for the long-term replacement of system facilities as they wear out. Amount of Proposed Fee Increase and Method of Calculating the Increased Fee Effective July 1, 2016, the Zone proposes to increase the fee to $858 per year per equivalent singlefamily dwelling (ESD), an increase of $37, or 4.5% versus current year. A standard single-family home constitutes one ESD. Parcels which have other uses (for example, apartments and commercial buildings) will be assigned a number of ESDs using standard equivalency factors which estimate the probable quantity and quality of sewage effluent normally generated by such uses in comparison to a single-family home. The increased fee has been calculated by dividing the annual costs of providing wastewater treatment and collection service by the estimated number of ESDs to arrive at the fee per ESD of $858, and for parcels having more than one ESD assigned, the fee is calculated by multiplying the number of ESDs assigned to the parcel times $858. The draft proposed budget for fiscal year describes the total annual expenses in detail and is available for review at the Airport-Larkfield-Wikiup Sanitation Zone, c/o the Sonoma County Water Agency, 404 Aviation Boulevard, Santa Rosa, California 95403, and the Sonoma County Regional Libraries in Santa Rosa (Main & Northwest), Windsor, Healdsburg, Cloverdale, Guerneville, Sebastopol, Petaluma, Rohnert Park, Rincon Valley, Sonoma, and Forestville (El Molino High School). Further Information Available Prior to the Hearing At the hearing, the Board will consider adoption of an ordinance which will establish the increased fee. A copy of the ordinance is on file and available for review at the Sonoma County Water Agency, 404 Aviation Boulevard, Santa Rosa, CA In addition, the following persons may be contacted at the Agency at (707) for further information and/or obtaining copies of the draft proposed budget for fiscal year : Manuel Olvera, Engineering Technician III Candi Bryon, Accountant III A5-1

7 Property Owner Protest Procedure This notice has been mailed to you because records of the Sonoma County Assessor list you as an owner of one or more parcels within the Zone which will be subject to the fee while connected to the system. In the event you have sold property you may have owned within the Zone, please send this notice to the new owner. Either prior to or at the public hearing, property owners may submit written protests respecting the fee. At the public hearing, the Board will consider all written protests which have been received by the prescribed deadline. In order to be considered, a written protest must be made on the attached form. Only one protest will be counted per parcel. Only protests signed by the current owner(s) will be allowed and must be received no later than the following deadlines: If submitted by mail, they must be received (NOT postmarked) no later than 5:00 p.m. on Monday, May 16, 2016, at the mailing address on the form. If hand delivered, they must be delivered no later than the close of the public hearing on May 17, 2016, to: Clerk of the Board Board Meeting Room, as set forth in the opening paragraph Date of this Notice: March 28, 2016 A5-2

8 NOTE: IN ORDER TO BE CONSIDERED, ANY PROTEST MUST BE ON THIS FORM WRITTEN PROTEST I am the parcel owner of the property located at the address on the back of this form. I am submitting this form to protest the proposed sewer rate increase. Additional Comments: Use opposite side or attach additional sheets if needed. Signature of Property Owner Required Fold Here First Print Name Place Postage Here Airport-Larkfield-Wikiup Sanitation Zone c/o Sonoma County Water Agency 404 Aviation Blvd. Santa Rosa, CA Fold Here Second A5-3

9 Sonoma County Water Agency Penngrove Sanitation Zone NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING REGARDING PROPOSED SEWER SERVICE FEE INCREASE Date, Time, and Place of Public Hearing On May 17, 2016, at 2:10 p.m. or as soon thereafter as the matter may be heard, in the Board Meeting Room, 575 Administration Drive, Room 102A, Santa Rosa, California, the Board of Directors (Board) of the Sonoma County Water Agency (Agency) will conduct a public hearing to consider increasing the annual sewer service fee to be collected on account of sewage collection and treatment services provided by the sewer system of the Penngrove Sanitation Zone (Zone) to property within the Zone. Property Owner Obligation The fee will be imposed on each parcel upon which is located one or more structures which are connected to the system and the fee will be collected on the general property tax bill administered by Sonoma County. Payment of the fee will be the responsibility of the owner of the parcel. What the Fee is for and How the Funds Collected Will be Used The fee is imposed for two purposes: (a) to finance the ongoing operation and maintenance costs of the system and, (b) to pay the capital replacement program costs of the system. The purpose of the capital replacement program is to provide for the long-term replacement of system facilities as they wear out. Amount of Proposed Fee Increase and Method of Calculating the Increased Fee Effective July 1, 2016, the Zone proposes to increase the fee to $1,366 per year per equivalent single-family dwelling (ESD), an increase of $40, or 3.0% versus current year. A standard singlefamily home constitutes one ESD. Parcels which have other uses (for example, apartments and commercial buildings) will be assigned a number of ESDs using standard equivalency factors which estimate the probable quantity and quality of sewage effluent normally generated by such uses in comparison to a single-family home. The increased fee has been calculated by dividing the annual costs of providing wastewater treatment and collection service by the estimated number of ESDs to arrive at the fee per ESD of $1,366, and for parcels having more than one ESD assigned, the fee is calculated by multiplying the number of ESDs assigned to the parcel times $1,366. The draft proposed budget for fiscal year describes the total annual expenses in detail and is available for review at the Penngrove Sanitation Zone, c/o the Sonoma County Water Agency, 404 Aviation Boulevard, Santa Rosa, California 95403, and the Sonoma County Regional Libraries in Santa Rosa (Main & Northwest), Windsor, Healdsburg, Cloverdale, Guerneville, Sebastopol, Petaluma, Rohnert Park, Rincon Valley, Sonoma, and Forestville (El Molino High School). Further Information Available Prior to the Hearing At the hearing, the Board will consider adoption of an ordinance which will establish the increased fee. A copy of the ordinance is on file and available for review at the Sonoma County Water Agency, 404 Aviation Boulevard, Santa Rosa, CA In addition, the following persons may be contacted at the Agency at (707) for further information and/or obtaining copies of the draft proposed budget for fiscal year : A5-4

10 Property Owner Protest Procedure Manuel Olvera, Engineering Technician III Candi Bryon, Accountant III This notice has been mailed to you because records of the Sonoma County Assessor list you as an owner of one or more parcels within the Zone which will be subject to the fee while connected to the system. In the event you have sold property you may have owned within the Zone, please send this notice to the new owner. Either prior to or at the public hearing, property owners may submit written protests respecting the fee. At the public hearing, the Board will consider all written protests which have been received by the prescribed deadline. In order to be considered, a written protest must be made on the attached form. Only one protest will be counted per parcel. Only protests signed by the current owner(s) will be allowed and must be received no later than the following deadlines: If submitted by mail, they must be received (NOT postmarked) no later than 5:00 p.m. on Monday, May 16, 2016, at the mailing address on the form. If hand delivered, they must be delivered no later than the close of the public hearing on May 17, 2016, to: Clerk of the Board Board Meeting Room, as set forth in the opening paragraph Date of this Notice: March 28, A5-5

11 NOTE: IN ORDER TO BE CONSIDERED, ANY PROTEST MUST BE ON THIS FORM WRITTEN PROTEST I am the parcel owner of the property located at the address on the back of this form. I am submitting this form to protest the proposed sewer rate increase. Additional Comments: Use opposite side or attach additional sheets if needed. Signature of Property Owner Required Fold Here First Print Name Place Postage Here Penngrove Sanitation Zone c/o Sonoma County Water Agency 404 Aviation Blvd. Santa Rosa, CA Fold Here Second A5-6

12 South Park County Sanitation District NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING REGARDING PROPOSED SEWER SERVICE FEE INCREASE Date, Time, and Place of Public Hearing On May 17, 2016, at 2:10 p.m. or as soon thereafter as the matter may be heard, in the Board Meeting Room, 575 Administration Drive, Room 102A, Santa Rosa, California, the Board of Directors (Board) of the South Park County Sanitation District (District) will conduct a public hearing to consider increasing the annual sewer service fee to be collected on account of sewage collection and treatment services provided by the sewer system of the District to property within the District. Property Owner Obligation The fee will be imposed on each parcel upon which is located one or more structures which are connected to the system and the fee will be collected on the general property tax bill administered by Sonoma County. Payment of the fee will be the responsibility of the owner of the parcel. What the Fee is for and How the Funds Collected Will be Used The fee is imposed for two purposes: (a) to finance the ongoing operation and maintenance costs of the system and, (b) to pay the capital replacement program costs of the system. The purpose of the capital replacement program is to provide for the long-term replacement of system facilities as they wear out. Amount of Proposed Fee Increase and Method of Calculating the Increased Fee Effective July 1, 2016, the District proposes to increase the fee to $903 per year per equivalent single-family dwelling (ESD), an increase of $31, or 3.5% versus current year. A standard singlefamily home constitutes one ESD. Parcels which have other uses (for example, apartments and commercial buildings) will be assigned a number of ESDs using standard equivalency factors which estimate the probable quantity and quality of sewage effluent normally generated by such uses in comparison to a single-family home. The increased fee has been calculated by dividing the annual costs of providing wastewater treatment and collection service by the estimated number of ESDs to arrive at the fee per ESD of $903, and for parcels having more than one ESD assigned, the fee is calculated by multiplying the number of ESDs assigned to the parcel times $903. The draft proposed budget for fiscal year describes the total annual expenses in detail and is available for review at the South Park County Sanitation District, c/o the Sonoma County Water Agency, 404 Aviation Boulevard, Santa Rosa, California 95403, and the Sonoma County Regional Libraries in Santa Rosa (Main & Northwest), Windsor, Healdsburg, Cloverdale, Guerneville, Sebastopol, Petaluma, Rohnert Park, Rincon Valley, Sonoma, and Forestville (El Molino High School). Further Information Available Prior to the Hearing At the hearing, the Board will consider adoption of an ordinance which will establish the increased fee. A copy of the ordinance is on file and available for review at the Sonoma County Water Agency, 404 Aviation Boulevard, Santa Rosa, CA In addition, the following persons may be contacted at the Agency at (707) for further information and/or obtaining copies of the draft proposed budget for fiscal year : Manuel Olvera, Engineering Technician III Candi Bryon, Accountant III A5-7

13 Property Owner Protest Procedure This notice has been mailed to you because records of the Sonoma County Assessor list you as an owner of one or more parcels within the District which will be subject to the fee while connected to the system. In the event you have sold property you may have owned within the District, please send this notice to the new owner. Either prior to or at the public hearing, property owners may submit written protests respecting the fee. At the public hearing, the Board will consider all written protests which have been received by the prescribed deadline. In order to be considered, a written protest must be made on the attached form. Only one protest will be counted per parcel. Only protests signed by the current owner(s) will be allowed and must be received no later than the following deadlines: If submitted by mail, they must be received (NOT postmarked) no later than 5:00 p.m. on Monday, May 16, 2016, at the mailing address on the form. If hand delivered, they must be delivered no later than the close of the public hearing on May 17, 2016, to: Clerk of the Board Board Meeting Room, as set forth in the opening paragraph Date of this Notice: March 28, A5-8

14 NOTE: IN ORDER TO BE CONSIDERED, ANY PROTEST MUST BE ON THIS FORM WRITTEN PROTEST I am the parcel owner of the property located at the address on the back of this form. I am submitting this form to protest the proposed sewer rate increase. Additional Comments: Use opposite side or attach additional sheets if needed. Signature of Property Owner Required Fold Here First Print Name Place Postage Here South Park County Sanitation District c/o Sonoma County Water Agency 404 Aviation Blvd. Santa Rosa, CA Fold Here Second A5-9

15 Sonoma Valley County Sanitation District NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING REGARDING PROPOSED SEWER SERVICE CHARGE INCREASE Date, Time, and Place of Public Hearing On May 17, 2016, at 2:10 p.m. or as soon thereafter as the matter may be heard, in the Board Meeting Room, 575 Administration Drive, Room 102A, Santa Rosa, California, the Board of Directors (Board) of the Sonoma Valley County Sanitation District (District) will conduct a public hearing to consider increasing the annual sewer service charge for sewage collection and treatment services provided by the District to property within the District. Property Owner Obligation The charge will be imposed on each parcel upon which is located one or more structures which are connected to the system, and the charge will be collected on the general property tax bill administered by Sonoma County. Payment of the charge will be the responsibility of the owner of the parcel. What the Charge is for and How the Funds Collected Will Be Used The charge is imposed for two purposes: (a) to fund the ongoing operation and maintenance costs of the system and, (b) to pay the capital replacement program costs of the system. The purpose of the capital replacement program is to provide for the long-term replacement of system facilities as they wear out. The draft proposed budget for fiscal year describes the total annual expenses in detail and is available for review at the Sonoma Valley County Sanitation District, c/o the Sonoma County Water Agency, 404 Aviation Boulevard, Santa Rosa, California 95403, and the Sonoma County Regional Libraries in Santa Rosa (Main & Northwest), Windsor, Healdsburg, Cloverdale, Guerneville, Sebastopol, Petaluma, Rohnert Park, Rincon Valley, Sonoma, and Forestville (El Molino High School). Two Categories of Users: A) Non-Residential Users And Residential Users With No Public Water Connection; or B) Residential Users With a Public Water Connection A) Amount of Proposed Charge Increase For Non-Residential Users And Residential Users With No Public Water Connection Effective July 1, 2016 the District proposes to increase the charge to $926 per year per Equivalent Single-family Dwelling (ESD) for non-residential users and residential users with no public water connection. This represents an increase of $36 or 4.0% versus current year. This charge has been calculated by dividing the annual costs of providing wastewater treatment and collection service by the total estimated number of ESDs in the District. B) Residential Rate Structure For Residential Users With a Public Water Connection Many surrounding communities (including the cities of Cotati, Healdsburg, Petaluma, Rohnert Park, Santa Rosa, Sebastopol, and the Town of Windsor) set their sewer rates partially on an estimate of the amount of sewage generated by each household, based on water usage during winter months. A 2011 District study found that such volume-based rate structures better account for household sewer discharge, promote water conservation, and provide financial reliability for District services. The study also found that volume-based rates would provide District ratepayers with the opportunity to control a portion of their sewage bills. The District began implementing a volume based rate structure in 2012 and has found that the structure has met the above objectives. The District s volume-based rate applies to residential users with a public water connection including multiplefamily units such as apartments, condominiums, and mobile home parks. The rate includes fixed charges and charges based on water use. 70 Percent Fixed Charges: The fixed charge recovers costs that the sewage treatment and collection system incurs regardless of increased or decreased sewage flow into the system. Effective July 1, 2016 the District proposes to increase the fixed charge to $648 per year per Equivalent Singlefamily Dwelling (ESD) for residential users with a public water connection. This represents an increase of $25 or 4.0% versus current year. All residential sewer customers with a public water connection must pay this fixed charge. A5-10

16 30 Percent Volume-Based: The volume-based charge recovers costs to the sewage treatment and collection system that vary with the amount of sewage conveyed and treated, and gives District ratepayers the opportunity to control a portion of their sewage bill. It uses winter water use as the basis for the calculation. Winter water use generally provides the best available estimate of indoor water use and its impact to the District s treatment facilities because outdoor irrigation is usually minimal during the winter months. Effective July 1, 2016 the District proposes to increase the volumetric charge to $5.24 per Thousand Gallons for residential users with a public water connection. This represents an increase of $0.21 per Thousand Gallons or 4.0% versus current year. The District will: Compare December 2015, and January, February, and March 2016 water bills. The months correspond to the date of the water bill. Select the water bill with the lowest water use and use that bill as the basis for the volumetric rate calculation. Each water bill covers a two month billing period and there are 6 billing periods annually. For 2016 each residential user with public water and sewer connections will be charged as follows: Fixed Charge: And: $648 per ESD x Number of ESD s Volumetric Charge using the lowest winter water bill covering two months for the billing months identified above: Total Winter Water Usage in Thousands of Gallons x 6 billing periods annually x $5.24 per Thousand Gallons The highest residential water usage on a winter water bill covering two months will be capped at 40 thousand gallons per ESD based on the assumption that anything over 40 thousand gallons per ESD is likely to be irrigation water, not indoor water use. If the water usage on your lowest winter water bill exceeds 40 thousand gallons per ESD, the Volumetric Charge would be calculated as follows: Number of ESD s x 40 Thousand Gallons x 6 billing periods annually x $5.24 per Thousand Gallons The 2016 sewer charges for residential customers with a public water connection are the Fixed Charge plus the Volumetric Charge: Sewer Charge Component Fixed Charge Volume Charge Charge $648 per ESD $5.24 per Thousand Gallons To estimate your sewer charge, visit our online estimator at: Further Information Available Prior to the Hearing At the hearing, the Board will consider adoption of an ordinance which will establish the increased charge. A copy of the ordinance is on file and available for review at the Sonoma County Water Agency, 404 Aviation Boulevard, Santa Rosa, CA In addition, the following persons may be contacted at the Agency for further information and/or obtaining copies of the draft proposed budget for fiscal year : Manuel Olvera, Engineering Technician III Candi Bryon, Accountant III A5-11

17 Property Owner Appeal Procedure If you have a leak in your water supply line or another reason that you feel the metered water use during the measurement period does not reflect your actual usage, supply the Sonoma County Water Agency the details of the situation and proof it has been fixed. The Water Agency will determine if the situation qualifies, and if it does, the bill will be adjusted based on the fixed charge plus water usage from winter water use in prior years. Property Owner Protest Procedure This notice has been mailed to you because records of the Sonoma County Assessor list you as an owner of one or more parcels within the District which will be subject to the charge while connected to the system. In the event you have sold property you may have owned within the District, please send this notice to the new owner. Either prior to or at the public hearing, property owners may submit written protests respecting the charge. At the public hearing, the Board will consider all written protests which have been received by the prescribed deadline. In order to be considered, a written protest must be made on the attached form. Only one protest will be counted per parcel. Only protests signed by the current owner(s) will be allowed and must be received no later than the following deadlines: If submitted by mail, they must be received (NOT postmarked) no later than 5:00 p.m. on Monday, May 16, 2016, at the mailing address on the form. If hand delivered, they must be delivered no later than the close of the public hearing on May 17, 2016, to: Clerk of the Board Board Meeting Room, as set forth in the opening paragraph Date of this Notice: March 28, 2016 A5-12

18 NOTE: IN ORDER TO BE CONSIDERED, ANY PROTEST MUST BE ON THIS FORM WRITTEN PROTEST I am the parcel owner of the property located at the address on the back of this form. I am submitting this form to protest the proposed sewer rate increase. Additional Comments: Use opposite side or attach additional sheets if needed. Signature of Property Owner Required Fold Here First Print Name Place Postage Here Sonoma Valley County Sanitation District c/o Sonoma County Water Agency 404 Aviation Blvd. Santa Rosa, CA Fold Here Second A5-13

19 Occidental County Sanitation District NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING REGARDING PROPOSED SEWER SERVICE FEE INCREASE Date, Time, and Place of Public Hearing On May 17, 2016, at 2:10 p.m. or as soon thereafter as the matter may be heard, in the Board Meeting Room, 575 Administration Drive, Room 102A, Santa Rosa, California, the Board of Directors (Board) of the Occidental County Sanitation District (District) will conduct a public hearing to consider increasing the annual sewer service fee to be collected on account of sewage collection and treatment services provided by the sewer system of the District to property within the District. Property Owner Obligation The fee will be imposed on each parcel upon which is located one or more structures which are connected to the system and the fee will be collected on the general property tax bill administered by Sonoma County. Payment of the fee will be the responsibility of the owner of the parcel. What the Fee is for and How the Funds Collected Will be Used The fee is imposed for two purposes: (a) to finance the ongoing operation and maintenance costs of the system and, (b) to pay the capital replacement program costs of the system. The purpose of the capital replacement program is to provide for the long-term replacement of system facilities as they wear out. Amount of Proposed Fee Increase and Method of Calculating the Increased Fee Effective July 1, 2016, the District proposes to increase the fee to $2,068 per year per equivalent single-family dwelling (ESD), an increase of $70, or 3.5% versus current year. A standard singlefamily home constitutes one ESD. Parcels which have other uses (for example, apartments and commercial buildings) will be assigned a number of ESDs using standard equivalency factors which estimate the probable quantity and quality of sewage effluent normally generated by such uses in comparison to a single-family home. The increased fee has been calculated by dividing the annual costs of providing wastewater treatment and collection service by the estimated number of ESDs to arrive at the fee per ESD of $2,068, and for parcels having more than one ESD assigned, the fee is calculated by multiplying the number of ESDs assigned to the parcel times $2,068. The draft proposed budget for fiscal year describes the total annual expenses in detail and is available for review at the Occidental County Sanitation District, c/o the Sonoma County Water Agency, 404 Aviation Boulevard, Santa Rosa, California 95403, and the Sonoma County Regional Libraries in Santa Rosa (Main & Northwest), Windsor, Healdsburg, Cloverdale, Guerneville, Sebastopol, Petaluma, Rohnert Park, Rincon Valley, Sonoma, and Forestville (El Molino High School). Further Information Available Prior to the Hearing At the hearing, the Board will consider adoption of an ordinance which will establish the increased fee. A copy of the ordinance is on file and available for review at the Sonoma County Water Agency, 404 Aviation Boulevard, Santa Rosa, CA In addition, the following persons may be contacted at the Agency at (707) for further information and/or obtaining copies of the draft proposed budget for fiscal year : Manuel Olvera, Engineering Technician III Candi Bryon, Accountant III A5-14

20 Property Owner Protest Procedure This notice has been mailed to you because records of the Sonoma County Assessor list you as an owner of one or more parcels within the District which will be subject to the fee while connected to the system. In the event you have sold property you may have owned within the District, please send this notice to the new owner. Either prior to or at the public hearing, property owners may submit written protests respecting the fee. At the public hearing, the Board will consider all written protests which have been received by the prescribed deadline. In order to be considered, a written protest must be made on the attached form. Only one protest will be counted per parcel. Only protests signed by the current owner(s) will be allowed and must be received no later than the following deadlines: If submitted by mail, they must be received (NOT postmarked) no later than 5:00 p.m. on Monday, May 16, 2016, at the mailing address on the form. If hand delivered, they must be delivered no later than the close of the public hearing on May 17, 2016, to: Clerk of the Board Board Meeting Room, as set forth in the opening paragraph Date of this Notice: March 28, 2016 A5-15

21 NOTE: IN ORDER TO BE CONSIDERED, ANY PROTEST MUST BE ON THIS FORM WRITTEN PROTEST I am the parcel owner of the property located at the address on the back of this form. I am submitting this form to protest the proposed sewer rate increase. Additional Comments: Use opposite side or attach additional sheets if needed. Signature of Property Owner Required Fold Here First Print Name Place Postage Here Occidental County Sanitation District c/o Sonoma County Water Agency 404 Aviation Blvd. Santa Rosa, CA Fold Here Second A5-16

22 Sonoma County Water Agency Sea Ranch Sanitation Zone NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING REGARDING PROPOSED SEWER SERVICE FEE INCREASE Date, Time, and Place of Public Hearing On May 17, 2016, at 2:10 p.m. or as soon thereafter as the matter may be heard, in the Board Meeting Room, 575 Administration Drive, Room 102A, Santa Rosa, California, the Board of Directors (Board) of the Sonoma County Water Agency (Agency) will conduct a public hearing to consider increasing the annual sewer service fee to be collected on account of sewage collection and treatment services provided by the sewer system of the Sea Ranch Sanitation Zone (Zone) to property within the Zone. Property Owner Obligation The fee will be imposed on each parcel upon which is located one or more structures which are connected to the system and the fee will be collected on the general property tax bill administered by Sonoma County. Payment of the fee will be the responsibility of the owner of the parcel. What the Fee is for and How the Funds Collected Will be Used The fee is imposed for two purposes: (a) to finance the ongoing operation and maintenance costs of the system and, (b) to pay the capital replacement program costs of the system. The purpose of the capital replacement program is to provide for the long-term replacement of system facilities as they wear out. Amount of Proposed Fee Increase and Method of Calculating the Increased Fee Effective July 1, 2016, the Zone proposes to increase the fee to $1,076 per year per equivalent single-family dwelling (ESD), an increase of $31, or 3.0% versus current year. A standard singlefamily home constitutes one ESD. Parcels which have other uses (for example, apartments and commercial buildings) will be assigned a number of ESDs using standard equivalency factors which estimate the probable quantity and quality of sewage effluent normally generated by such uses in comparison to a single-family home. The increased fee has been calculated by dividing the annual costs of providing wastewater treatment and collection service by the estimated number of ESDs to arrive at the fee per ESD of $1,076, and for parcels having more than one ESD assigned, the fee is calculated by multiplying the number of ESDs assigned to the parcel times $1,076. The draft proposed budget for fiscal year describes the total annual expenses in detail and is available for review at the Sea Ranch Sanitation Zone, c/o the Sonoma County Water Agency, 404 Aviation Boulevard, Santa Rosa, California 95403, and the Sonoma County Regional Libraries in Santa Rosa (Main & Northwest), Windsor, Healdsburg, Cloverdale, Guerneville, Sebastopol, Petaluma, Rohnert Park, Rincon Valley, Sonoma, and Forestville (El Molino High School). Further Information Available Prior to the Hearing At the hearing, the Board will consider adoption of an ordinance which will establish the increased fee. A copy of the ordinance is on file and available for review at the Sonoma County Water Agency 404 Aviation Boulevard, Santa Rosa, CA In addition, the following persons may be contacted at the Agency at (707) for further information and/or obtaining copies of the draft proposed budget for fiscal year : A5-17

23 Manuel Olvera, Engineering Technician III Candi Bryon, Accountant III Property Owner Protest Procedure This notice has been mailed to you because records of the Sonoma County Assessor list you as an owner of one or more parcels within the Zone which will be subject to the fee while connected to the system. In the event you have sold property you may have owned within the Zone, please send this notice to the new owner. Either prior to or at the public hearing, property owners may submit written protests respecting the fee. At the public hearing, the Board will consider all written protests which have been received by the prescribed deadline. In order to be considered, a written protest must be made on the attached form. Only one protest will be counted per parcel. Only protests signed by the current owner(s) will be allowed and must be received no later than the following deadlines: If submitted by mail, they must be received (NOT postmarked) no later than 5:00 p.m. on Monday, May 16, 2016, at the mailing address on the form. If hand delivered, they must be delivered no later than the close of the public hearing on May 17, 2016, to: Clerk of the Board Board Meeting Room, as set forth in the opening paragraph Date of this Notice: March 28, 2016 A5-18

24 NOTE: IN ORDER TO BE CONSIDERED, ANY PROTEST MUST BE ON THIS FORM WRITTEN PROTEST I am the parcel owner of the property located at the address on the back of this form. I am submitting this form to protest the proposed sewer rate increase. Additional Comments: Use opposite side or attach additional sheets if needed. Signature of Property Owner Required Fold Here First Print Name Place Postage Here Sea Ranch Sanitation Zone c/o Sonoma County Water Agency 404 Aviation Blvd. Santa Rosa, CA Fold Here Second A5-19

25 Sonoma County Water Agency Geyserville Sanitation Zone NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING REGARDING PROPOSED SEWER SERVICE FEE INCREASE Date, Time, and Place of Public Hearing On May 17, 2016, at 2:10 p.m. or as soon thereafter as the matter may be heard, in the Board Meeting Room, 575 Administration Drive, Room 102A, Santa Rosa, California, the Board of Directors (Board) of the Sonoma County Water Agency (Agency) will conduct a public hearing to consider increasing the annual sewer service fee to be collected on account of sewage collection and treatment services provided by the sewer system of the Geyserville Sanitation Zone (Zone) to property within the Zone. Property Owner Obligation The fee will be imposed on each parcel upon which is located one or more structures which are connected to the system and the fee will be collected on the general property tax bill administered by Sonoma County. Payment of the fee will be the responsibility of the owner of the parcel. What the Fee is for and How the Funds Collected Will be Used The fee is imposed for two purposes: (a) to finance the ongoing operation and maintenance costs of the system and, (b) to pay the capital replacement program costs of the System. The purpose of the capital replacement program is to provide for the long-term replacement of system facilities as they wear out. Amount of Proposed Fee Increase and Method of Calculating the Increased Fee Effective July 1, 2016, the Zone proposes to increase the fee to $951 per year per equivalent single-family dwelling (ESD), an increase of $45, or 5.0% versus current year. A standard singlefamily home constitutes one ESD. Parcels which have other uses (for example, apartments and commercial buildings) will be assigned a number of ESDs using standard equivalency factors which estimate the probable quantity and quality of sewage effluent normally generated by such uses in comparison to a single-family home. The increased fee has been calculated by dividing the annual costs of providing wastewater treatment and collection service by the estimated number of ESDs to arrive at the fee per ESD of $951, and for parcels having more than one ESD assigned, the fee is calculated by multiplying the number of ESDs assigned to the parcel times $951. The draft proposed budget for fiscal year describes the total annual expenses in detail and is available for review at the Geyserville Sanitation Zone, c/o the Sonoma County Water Agency, 404 Aviation Boulevard, Santa Rosa, California 95403, and the Sonoma County Regional Libraries in Santa Rosa (Main & Northwest), Windsor, Healdsburg, Cloverdale, Guerneville, Sebastopol, Petaluma, Rohnert Park, Rincon Valley, Sonoma, and Forestville (El Molino High School). Further Information Available Prior to the Hearing At the hearing, the Board will consider adoption of an ordinance which will establish the increased fee. A copy of the ordinance is on file and available for review at the Sonoma County Water Agency, 404 Aviation Boulevard, Santa Rosa, CA In addition, the following persons may be contacted at the Agency at (707) for further information and/or obtaining copies of the draft proposed budget for fiscal year : A5-20