Union Sanitary District to Hold Meeting on Proposed Rate Hike

Announcement from Union Sanitary District--

Union Sanitary District will host an informational meeting to give customers the opportunity to talk with staff members and ask questions about proposed rate increases and services USD provides to Fremont, Newark, and Union City. It will be held from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Tuesday, January 12, 2016 at the Fremont Main Library, 2400 Stevenson Blvd., in Fremont. All members of USD’s Tri-City service area are invited to attend.

USD is proposing rate increases over the next five years to cover rising costs associated with providing service and maintaining aging infrastructure. The district recently mailed notices of a January 25, 2016 public hearing on the proposed rate changes to all property owners in Fremont, Newark and Union City.

“We invite all members of the community to the January 12 informational meeting,” said Paul Eldredge, USD General Manager. “This gives everyone a chance to learn more about proposed rates before the January 25 public hearing, and to speak to staff members directly about the many services USD provides to the Tri-Cities.”

USD’s mission includes protecting public health and the environment through its stewardship of wastewater infrastructure in Fremont, Newark and Union City. The District manages a large collection of facilities that includes more than 800 miles of sewer lines, seven pump stations, and the buildings and equipment at its Union City wastewater treatment plant.

“The cost of operating and maintaining these facilities continues to rise year after year, often outpacing inflation,” Eldredge said. USD is projecting to spend more than $175 million for improvements to the Tri-City sewer and treatment system infrastructure over the next 10 years.

“USD’s rates are within the lowest 11 percent of 26 Bay Area wastewater service providers surveyed, yet we provide some of the most extensive services,” said Eldredge. “We understand that no one likes a rate increase, and we strive to provide a reliable, essential service as efficiently and cost-effectively as possible. Even with the proposed increases, our rates would remain well below those of other Bay Area agencies.”

Property owners may protest the proposed rates via mail, email or fax until 5 p.m. on January 25, 2016, or in-person before the close of the public comment portion of the public hearing, which will be held at 7 p.m. on January 25, 2016 in the District Boardroom, 5072 Benson Road, Union City.

Protests must contain the property owner’s name, the street address or assessor’s parcel number (or other parcel description), and must be signed, unless sent via email, by the property owner. Property owners may submit one protest for each parcel owned.

Protests may be submitted by mail to Union Sanitary District – Rate Protest FY17-21 at 5072 Benson Road, Union City, CA 94587, by email to rates@unionsanitary.ca.gov, or by fax to (510) 477-7501.

--Image via Union Sanitary District