County Explains Need To Hike Malibu West Sewer Bills 52 Percent
Written by 991KBU on March 31, 2020
L A County says it needs to increase sewer bills in Malibu West by 52 percent because it hasn’t raised it rates for 11 years … while costs have spiraled up.
A meeting with residents … to explain the rate hike … has been cancelled due to the pandemic.
But the rate hike will still go before the L A County Board of Supervisors on May 20th.
The basic rate is proposed to increase from 2111 dollars a year to 3211 dollars per year over three years.
Residents also pay 1257 dollars a year on top of that to pay off loans for rebuilding the sewage plant more than a decade ago.
The sewer plant is paid for with charges added to property tax bills.
No county or city funds go to operate it.
The number of affected houses … is 274.
The county says the proposed increase is necessary to fund operational and maintenance costs of the Trancas sewer plant.
In a statement made to KBUU News, they says the costs of keeping the sewage plant working have spiralled up.
Laboratory costs … labor … chemicals …. and increases in the cost of fuel to operate equipment and vehicles.
Because Trancas Canyon has a high water table … houses there have a county-operated sewage plant.
A few houses near Broad Beach are also hooked into the Trancas plant.
