The City of Pleasanton has released initial findings from its comprehensive sewer rate study, commissioned to support the long-term reliability of the City’s aging sewer system and protect public health and the environment. The City Council will review and discuss the findings at a public workshop on Tuesday, April 21, at 5:00 p.m., before the regular City Council meeting.
The study includes proposed changes to rates and rate structures aligned with the financial planning approach endorsed by the City Council in February. Known as the “Maintain” scenario, this approach prioritizes critical infrastructure improvements while phasing in additional projects over the next 20 years. A technical report was developed to detail the impacts of this approach on the City’s sewer rates, as well as other potential updates to the City’s rate structure identified through the study.
“For many years, we’ve made only small adjustments to our sewer rates, but as the system has aged, we’re seeing more frequent emergency repairs that can cost up to 10 times more than planned upgrades,” said Gerry Beaudin, City Manager. “That’s why it’s important to take a close look at what it actually costs us to operate and maintain our sewer system over the long term.”
Historically, Pleasanton has taken a conservative approach to its sewer rates, making adjustments tied to changes in the cost of living. Sewer charges include both City rates and pass-through costs from the City’s regional partners, including the Dublin San Ramon Services District (DSRSD) and the City of Livermore, which set their own rates.
The City of Pleasanton’s sewer collection system serves more than 21,000 customers, safely collecting and transporting wastewater to Dublin San Ramon Services District’s Regional Wastewater Treatment Facility or the City of Livermore’s Water Reclamation Plant (Ruby Hill wastewater only) for treatment and processing before it is safely discharged into local waterways or reused as recycled water. The system includes approximately 253 miles of gravity sewer pipelines, 4.9 miles of force mains, eight siphons, and 11 pump stations, conveying an average dry-weather flow of approximately 6 million gallons of wastewater per day. Maintaining this essential infrastructure requires ongoing monitoring, regular maintenance, and sustained investments over time.
The initial sewer rate study findings recommend rate structure changes and rate increases to support the ongoing needs of the City’s sewer system, driven by aging infrastructure, rising operating costs, and the need to fund critical maintenance and capital improvements identified in the City’s Long-Term Sewer Capital Improvement Implementation Plan (Sewer CIP). The proposed rates are based on the City’s sewer system cost-of-service analysis completed as part of the study. The analysis evaluates current wastewater usage and more accurately allocates costs across customer types based on that usage.
As a result, commercial and industrial customers are expected to see larger rate changes. This is primarily due to updated water usage data showing higher usage among these customers, as well as a proposed shift to a simplified rate structure that reflects the cost of collecting and transporting wastewater, regardless of business type.
For residential customers, the City is proposing to combine the rates for condos and multifamily homes into one rate. For a typical single-family home, the City’s sewer rate is expected to increase by approximately $25.33 per billing cycle, or $12.67 per month, in the first year.
“This is another important step to ensure the City can continue providing the level of service that upholds the quality of life our residents and businesses expect,” said Beaudin. “These sewer rate adjustments are necessary to support ongoing operations and critical infrastructure improvements, helping maintain a reliable system and reduce the risk of costly and disruptive service interruptions.”
The workshop is being hosted to provide the City Council, staff, and the community with an opportunity to review the proposed changes and share feedback as the City moves forward in the rate-setting process. Council and community input received during the workshop will help inform the next phase of the rate-setting process.
Staff is expected to return to the City Council on May 19 with final recommendations on the proposed rate structure. The final rate study is expected to go before the City Council on July 21, 2026, with a request for approval to initiate the public review process required under Proposition 218, and a public hearing to consider adoption of the updated sewer rates in November or December of 2026.
For more information about the City of Pleasanton’s sewer system, upgrades, and rate-setting process, visit the City’s new Sewer Service & Programs page and Sewer Rates page.