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# City must be dispensing servings of holy water
- URL: https://www.smdp.com/city-must-be-dispensing-servings-of-holy-water/
- Published: 2008-06-02T15:00:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-24T19:45:08.000Z
- Author: Guest Author
- Tags: Opinion, Santa Monica, #archive-import

SANTA MONICA PROPERTY OWNERS recently received their “Notice of Proposed Water and Wastewater Rate Increases"from the city. It’s bad news for everybody living in Santa Monica.

The city says higher rates are necessary to cover increased costs associated with charges for “local and imported water, operation and maintenance, capital and infrastructure costs and financial commitments to the City of Los Angeles for wastewater disposal and reserves."

Under the suggested rates an average water bill would increase 10 to 11 percent, annually. According to costs provided by the city, a single family home owner’s bimonthly water bill would increase from a current average of $75.37 to $110.65 — a 52 percent increase between now and the end of fiscal year 2012-2013.

An eight-unit apartment building would see its current approximately $181.97 bimonthly water bill increase to $267.48 over five years.

If that weren’t bad enough, wastewater increases will be even steeper. A typical wastewater bill would see increases of 18 percent the next two years and 15, 9 and 4 percent the following years. A single family home’s bimonthly wastewater (sewage) bill would increase from a current average usage of $44.24 to $83.04 — an increase of 64 percent over the same period. An average eight-unit apartment building would see its current $185.66 bimonthly wastewater water bill almost double to $343.72 over five years. Annualized water expense would swell from $1113.96 to $2062.32.

Property owners pay both water and sewage so amounts are added together. A single family property owner would see his or her annual combined water and sewage charges go from $717.66 to $1226.94 over five years. A typical eight-unit apartment owner would experience annual water and sewage increases from $2205.78 to $3667.20 — increases that far exceed the inflation rate, cost of living index and most growth rate indexes.

Note that neither of these fees includes additional assessments as called for by Measure V “Clean Oceans and Beaches Parcel Tax,” the stormwater runoff ballot initiative approved by voters in November 2006.

Renters should keep in mind the increases in water and sewage fees will be added indirectly to rents via increases in the Annual Rent Adjustment allowed for rent controlled apartments. Landlords can already add "clean ocean” costs directly to monthly rents.

The annual adjustment for Santa Monica tenants under rent control is predicated, in part, on cost of living expense, utility and maintenance costs borne by landlords. As these costs go up, as does the annual rent increase. This year (2008-2009) the annual rent increase is 2.7 percent. With water and wastewater costs rising so dramatically, Santa Monica tenants could see much steeper annual rent increases in the future.

Opposing the increased fees isn’t easy. For example, oral comments at the public hearing on the higher fees (July 8 at 5:45 p.m. in council chambers) will not be considered “official" unless accompanied by a signed, written letter. Only property owners may “formally”protest the increases — in writing only. E-mails aren’t acceptable as a property owner’s signature is required on the letter of protest. Written protests must be submitted before the July 8 public hearing in person or by mail at the City Clerk’s office, Room 102, 1685 Main St., Santa Monica, CA 90401\. I have a thought. With a record city budget ($521.7 million) proposed for the upcoming fiscal year, keeping in mind “serving our residents first,” I can’t believe there isn’t a way for the city to subsidize these services to help keep basic living costs low for everyone. Is it too much to ask that a couple of million bucks be spent on us instead of, say, social services for outsiders?

And, can’t those “capital and infrastructure costs” for water, sewage and stormwater runoff be paid for through community redevelopment funds? In many communities, they are. Except here, city fathers would rather spend redevelopment money on public housing for nonresidents than on infrastructure which would result in lower water and sewage fees for us as well as eliminate the need for a special “clean ocean” parcel tax.

*Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on June 2, 2008.* [Read the original PDF.](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/smdp%5Fbackissues/060208.pdf?ref=smdp.com)