Public Hearing Information
A public hearing will be held on the proposed increases to sewer service charge rates in fiscal years 2025, 2026, and 2027.
When: Wednesday, June 12, 2024 - 5:00 p.m.
Where: A public hearing will be held in person in the Boardroom located at 1960 La Costa Ave. Carlsbad, CA 92009.
You are welcome to speak at the public hearing, but official protests must be made in writing. Oral comments at the public hearing will not qualify as formal protests. If you would like to protest the proposed increases, please submit your protest in writing by the close of the public hearing. You may hand deliver your written protest or mail it to the Leucadia Wastewater District at 1960 La Costa Avenue, Carlsbad, CA 92009. Protests must be signed by the property owner or ratepayer and include your printed full name, assessor parcel number, and rate you are protesting. One protest notice is allowed per parcel in calculating a majority protest to the proposed increase.
The Board of Directors will hear and consider oral testimony and written material submitted regarding the proposed rate increases at the hearing. If, by the close of the public hearing, written protests against the rate increase are not presented by a majority of property owners, the Board of Directors will be authorized to adopt an ordinance to increase the sewer rate charge. At the close of the public hearing, the Board of Directors will consider and may approve the rate increases. There is a 120-day statute of limitations for challenging the rates. The time and place for this meeting will also be published in the newspaper.
Explanation:
The Leucadia Wastewater District proactively plans for increases in costs associated with operations, maintenance, and replacement or rehabilitation of its infrastructure. The District also pays a percentage of the cost to operate and maintain the jointly owned Encina Wastewater Treatment Plant. To cover anticipated cost increases, the District proposes to raise wastewater rates over the next three years.
The District used an engineering firm to develop an Asset Management Plan which determines when capital facilities will need to be replaced, and at what cost. The District used a financial firm to prepare a Financial Plan Study, which projects the District's expenditures and revenues over the next twenty years and determines the timing of needed rate increases.
The proposed sewer rate increases for the next three years were recommended in the latest Financial Plan Study. These increases are necessary to meet the operations and infrastructure needs of the District. It is anticipated that the District will spend approximately $61 million for operating ($29 million) and capital replacement and rehabilitation ($32 million) costs over the next three years.
The District’s current sewer service charge is $38.12 per month, or $457.42 annually, per household (also called an Equivalent Dwelling Unit or EDU). Currently, the District has one of the lowest sewer service rates in San Diego County. To help keep costs down, the District utilizes a pay as you go methodology, meaning the District collects funds ahead of time to pay for upcoming capital needs and has no financing debt. This helps the District, and its customers save significantly on financing costs and interest expense.
Since the last rate increase, the District has continually inspected its sewer lines and pump stations, and has maintained them in excellent working order. The District's efforts have resulted in a strong record of environmental stewardship. The work completed over the prior three years cost approximately $47 million in operating ($24 million) and capital replacement ($23 million) expenses.
