Pleasanton Sewer-Rate Proposal Heads to November Hearing, With 2027 Increases Still Pending

Pleasanton City Council accepted the city’s final sewer-rate study on July 27 and began the Proposition 218 public-review process for proposed changes to sewer rates and the rate structure.

The action moves the proposal toward a public hearing, but it does not approve the new charges. The council is scheduled to consider the proposed rates on November 17, 2026, after affected property owners have received notice and had an opportunity to submit protests and comments.

What the proposal could mean for sewer bills

If the rates are adopted, the first adjustment would take effect January 1, 2027. The city estimates that a typical single-family customer’s combined bimonthly sewer bill would rise from $93.28 to $122.61 in the first year, an increase of $29.33 per billing cycle, or about $14.67 per month.

For Ruby Hill customers, the proposed combined bimonthly bill would rise from $166.68 to $213.01, an increase of $46.33 per billing cycle, or about $23.17 per month. The city’s bill estimates include applicable regional wastewater treatment charges that are passed through to customers.

Commercial and industrial customers would not all see the same change. Under the proposed structure, an office or retail account in the city’s “All-Other” category would see an estimated $271.66 increase per bimonthly cycle, while a full-service restaurant example would rise by an estimated $463.54 per cycle. Actual bills would depend on customer classification and water use.

Rate structure and connection fees

The proposal would revise the rate structure for residential, commercial, industrial, institutional and school customers. The city says commercial and industrial charges would move to a single collection rate based on actual water use rather than separate rates tied to business categories.

The proposal also includes updated sewer connection fees for new development or changes in use that increase demand on the system. Those one-time fees are separate from the Proposition 218 rate protest process. The city has proposed increasing the single-family sewer connection fee from $556.24 to $2,250 in fiscal year 2027.

Why Pleasanton says rates need to change

Pleasanton says its first comprehensive sewer-rate study is intended to align charges more closely with the cost of operating, maintaining, rehabilitating and replacing the wastewater system. The city says past rate adjustments relied mainly on the Consumer Price Index and did not fully account for long-term infrastructure and regulatory costs.

The city and the sewer-rate study identify aging infrastructure, deferred maintenance, capital improvements, operating costs and regulatory requirements as reasons for the proposed changes. Those are the city’s stated justifications for the proposal, not a final determination that the rates will be adopted.

What the Proposition 218 process means

Under the process approved July 27, Pleasanton must mail Proposition 218 public-hearing notices by September 18, 2026. The notices are expected to identify the proposed charges, explain how property owners can submit written protests and provide details for the public hearing.

The public hearing is scheduled for 7 p.m. Tuesday, November 17, 2026. Affected property owners can participate by following the instructions in the official notice and by speaking or submitting comments at the hearing, subject to the city’s procedures.

Key dates

• September 18, 2026: Last day for the city to mail Proposition 218 notices.
• November 17, 2026: Public hearing and potential council action on the proposed rates.
• January 1, 2027: Proposed effective date for the first rate adjustment if adopted.

For Pleasanton sewer customers, the proposal remains subject to public review and final council action. Until the November hearing and any subsequent adoption, the projected increases are not charges that customers must pay.

Sources

• City of Pleasanton sewer-rate update
• Pleasanton Weekly council agenda preview