Sewer Rates
The City of Pleasanton is committed to maintaining equitable and justifiable rate structures that support the needs of the sewer system and ensure long-term financial sustainability. Pleasanton’s sewer system is funded through a separate Sewer Enterprise Fund, which covers all sewer-rated services and infrastructure exclusively. These funds cannot be used for water services, projects, or other general city expenses.
Pleasanton has taken a phased and thoughtful approach to funding the future of our water and sewer systems, balancing infrastructure needs, financial stability, and the impact on our community. The City’s rate-setting process is transparent, compliant with legal requirements, and informed by community input.
The City is currently reviewing its sewer rates. Similar to the water rate setting process, the City is implementing a three-step approach to ensure sewer rates accurately reflect the actual system needs while maintaining consistency and financial health:
Step 1: Update the City’s Sewer System Management Plan (SSMP) and develop a long-term capital improvement plan.
Step 2: Perform a financial analysis and create a financial plan to serve as the basis for the sewer rate study.
Step 3: Prepare a Sewer Rate Study and Cost-of-Service Analysis to identify recommended rates, changes to the rate structure, and related fees.
2026 Sewer Rate Update
To ensure financial sustainability as the City implements its SSMP, the City is conducting a 2026 Sewer Rate Study. The goal of the study is to establish cost-based, fair, and legally compliant rates and connection fees to support the City’s sewer operations, maintenance, and capital improvements.
On February 17, 2026, the Pleasanton City Council reviewed and approved the long-term financial plan developed as part of the sewer rate-setting process. The financial plan evaluated multiple funding scenarios at different levels of near-term investment and assessed their impact on long-term system risk.
After reviewing the analysis, the City Council selected the “Maintain” scenario as the preferred approach. This scenario was selected because it reflects a balanced strategy that addresses high-priority infrastructure needs while sequencing other improvements over time to responsibly manage costs and long-term risk.
The Council also directed staff to return with additional rate modeling before finalizing any proposed sewer rate adjustments. Councilmembers acknowledged both the significant infrastructure needs identified in the SSMP and Sewer Capital Improvement Program (Sewer CIP) and the importance of carefully considering the impact on customers.
Next Steps:
The Pleasanton City Council will hold a special workshop on Tuesday, April 21, 2026, at 5 p.m. to continue evaluating funding options and proposed changes to the City’s sewer rate structure and rates.
Any proposed sewer rate adjustments will be subject to a public review process in accordance with Proposition 218 before adoption. Ongoing updates will be posted to this webpage as they are announced. To stay informed about the sewer rate setting process, sign up for the Pleasanton Pipeline Quarterly e-Newsletter.