Modesto council watch (04-29-16)

• Easing outdoor watering restrictions imposed because of the drought, allowing homeowners, businesses and other water customers to water outdoors twice a week May 1 through Oct. 31. The city went to once-a-week watering in December after reducing outdoor watering from three days a week to twice a week in May 2015. That was in response to Gov. Jerry Brown mandating a 25 percent statewide reduction in urban water use compared with 2013 consumption. Starting May 1, water customers with odd-numbered addresses can water Wednesdays and Sundays; those with even-numbered addresses can water Tuesdays and Saturdays. All outdoor watering is banned from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.
• Raising sewer rates over the next five years. The increases mean monthly sewer bills for single-family homes could increase as much as 6 percent annually over the five years, from $31.92 to $42.45. Businesses, apartments and other sewer customers will see their bills increase, as well. The new rates are effective July 1. The council will set sewer rates each year during the five years, with the potential that it may not seek the full increase in a given year. Utilities Director Larry Parlin said the rate increases will help pay for about $200 million in projects that will rehabilitate or upgrade the sewer system over the five years.
• Reduced what are called sewer capacity charges, which are one-time fees that new or expanded residential and commercial development pay to hook into the sewer system. The fee for a single-family home will fall from $5,146 to $2,643. Fees paid by other development also will decline. The fees are for providing sewer capacity for new development. The new sewer capacity charges replace ones adopted by the council in 2007. Parlin said the 2007 fees were based on assumptions for development that never materialized because of the recession and the drought.

Kevin Valine

This story was originally published April 29, 2016 at 2:55 PM with the headline "Modesto council watch (04-29-16)."