C I T Y O F T O R R A N C E
PUBLIC NOTICE
CITY OF TORRANCE MUNICIPAL WATER RATES
PUBLIC HEARING NOVEMBER 19, 2024
20500 MADRONA AVE. | TORRANCE, CA 90503 | PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT TorranceCA.Gov/PublicWorks | TorranceCA.Gov/Apps | TorranceCA.Gov/WhyTorrance Distribution Date: September 2024 The City of Torrance Public Works Department - Water Division provides potable and recycled domestic water service to approximately 27,000 customer accounts within the municipal service area. The Torrance Municipal Water Division (TMW) is proposing annual increases to municipal potable water rates over the next five calendar years (2025 through 2029). If approved, the new rates will take effect on January 1, 2025, and be adjusted January 1 of each calendar year through 2029. The proposal only applies to customers served by TMW. These increases are necessary to offset significantly higher rates for imported water supplies purchased from the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California (MWD), to cover higher operating and maintenance, water treatment and regulatory compliance costs, and to fund needed water system improvements and replacements and develop new lower cost local water supplies.
The City Council last approved a series of annual water rate adjustments for the five-year period from 2018 to 2022.
There were no increases to municipal water rates for 2023 or 2024. The proposal retains the current rate structure that allocates cost to customers based on recognized cost of service principles and aligns to meet new state- mandated water use reduction targets. Even with the proposed rate adjustments, TMW rates are expected to remain the lowest, or among the lowest, in our area.
The proposed rate adjustments for 2025 to 2029 include an overall system average increase of 6.5% in 2025 and 2026, followed by average increases of 6% in 2027 through 2029. The change in your bill for 2025 will vary depending on the alignment with cost-of-service criteria for your customer classification and your own water use. The proposed rates and service charges are outlined on Tables A through D on the following page s. You may submit comments about the proposed increases, in writing, before the Public Hearing on November 19, 2024. For more information regarding the process, how to submit comments, or to file a protest, please refer to the material s included in this notice or contact the City Clerk’s office at (310) 618-2870.
Questions or comments regarding the rate proposal or other related information may be directed to the Public Works Department at (310) 781-6900 or by email at [email protected].
Visit www.TorranceCA.Gov/PublicWorks for additional information.
CI TY CO U N CI L
Mayor George K. Chen
Jeremy Gerson Bridgett Lewis
Jon Kaji Aurelio Mattucci
Sharon Kalani Asam Sheikh
Rebecca Poirier Tim Goodrich
City Clerk City Treasurer
Aram Chaparyan
City Manager
Patrick K. Sullivan
City Attorney
City of Torrance
P U B L I C W O R K S D E P A R T M E N T
20500 Madrona Avenue
Torrance, California 90503
Craig Bilezerian
Public Works Director
ATTACHMENT 2
C I T Y O F T O R R A N C E
PUBLIC NOTICE
CITY OF TORRANCE MUNICIPAL WATER RATES
PUBLIC HEARING NOVEMBER 19, 2024
20500 MADRONA AVE. | TORRANCE, CA 90503 | PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT TorranceCA.Gov/PublicWorks | TorranceCA.Gov/Apps | TorranceCA.Gov/WhyTorrance Distribution Date: September 2024
Proposed Torrance Municipal Water Rate and Service Charge Schedule Proposed Rates to be Effective January 1, 2025 (CY 2025)
Table A: Commodity (Quantity Usage Rate)
Commodity Charge Monthly Tiers (ccf) CY 2024 CY 2025 CY 2026 CY 2027 CY 2028 CY 2029 Single Family Customers
Tier 1 7 $3.42 $3.55 $3.79 $4.02 $4.27 $4.53
Tier 2 12 $5.77 $5.47 $5.83 $6.18 $6.56 $6.96
Tier 3 13+ $6.98 $7.46 $7.95 $8.43 $8.94 $9.48
All Other Standard Customers
Tier 1 10 $3.89 $4.09 $4.36 $4.63 $4.91 $5.21
Tier 2 11+ $5.55 $6.04 $6.44 $6.83 $7.24 $7.68
Low Income Senior or Disabled Customers
Tier 1 7 $2.93 $2.78 $2.97 $3.15 $3.34 $3.55
Tier 2 12 $5.29 $5.06 $5.39 $5.72 $6.07 $6.44
Tier 3 13+ $6.50 $5.82 $6.20 $6.58 $6.98 $7.40
Table B: Monthly Meter Service Charges
Meter Service
Charge CY 2024 CY 2025 CY 2026 CY 2027 CY 2028 CY 2029 3/4" $7.48 $7.48 $7.97 $8.45 $8.96 $9.50
1" $10.74 $10.57 $11.26 $11.94 $12.66 $13.42
1 1/2" $18.89 $18.29 $19.48 $20.65 $21.89 $23.21
2" $28.68 $27.55 $29.35 $31.12 $32.99 $34.97
3" $59.64 $56.88 $60.58 $64.22 $68.08 $72.17
4" $105.30 $100.09 $106.60 $113.00 $119.78 $126.97
6" $214.49 $203.51 $216.74 $229.75 $243.54 $258.16
8" $393.83 $373.30 $397.57 $421.43 $446.72 $473.53
10" $622.03 $589.39 $627.71 $665.38 $705.31 $747.63
C I T Y O F T O R R A N C E
PUBLIC NOTICE
CITY OF TORRANCE MUNICIPAL WATER RATES
PUBLIC HEARING NOVEMBER 19, 2024
20500 MADRONA AVE. | TORRANCE, CA 90503 | PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT TorranceCA.Gov/PublicWorks | TorranceCA.Gov/Apps | TorranceCA.Gov/WhyTorrance Distribution Date: September 2024
Table C: Monthly Pumping Service Charge (Applies to customers in high pressure zone) Pumping Service
Charge
CY 2024 CY 2025 CY 2026 CY 2027 CY 2028 CY 2029
3/4" $6.40 $8.35 $8.90 $9.44 $10.01 $10.62
1" $10.66 $13.91 $14.82 $15.71 $16.66 $17.66
1 1/2" $21.29 $27.82 $29.63 $31.41 $33.30 $35.30
2" $34.08 $44.51 $47.41 $50.26 $53.28 $56.48
3" $75.54 $97.37 $103.70 $109.93 $116.53 $123.53
4" $134.17 $175.26 $186.66 $197.86 $209.74 $222.33
6" $276.84 $361.64 $385.15 $408.26 $432.76 $458.73
8" $511.10 $667.64 $711.04 $753.71 $798.94 $846.88
10" $809.22 $1,057.10 $1,125.82 $1,193.37 $1,264.98 $1,340.88
Table D: Monthly Private Fire Protection Service Charge
Rates and Service Charges 2025 through 2029: The rates and charges shown in Tables A through D will automatically adjust effective January 1 of each year for 2025 through 2029. All customers pay a meter service charge based on the customer’s meter size and a variable commodity charge based on the quantity of water use.
The commodity rate component is measured in units of 100 cubic feet (ccf). Each ccf (also known as a billing unit) equals approximately 748 gallons. The pumping service charge applies to customers located in the high-pressure zone to recover power and maintenance costs of this service. The private fire protection charge applies to customers requiring a dedicated service line for fire protection.
Senior Low-Income or Disabled Low-Income Rates: The senior low-income or disabled low-income discount rate will be funded from non-rate revenues. To qualify, the applicant must be 62 years or older or permanently disabled.
In addition, total household income must not be greater than $37,650 for the prior calendar year. If you meet these criteria, please call the City's Finance Department at (310) 618-5830 for an application.
Fire Service Charge CY 2024 CY 2025 CY 2026 CY 2027 CY 2028 CY 2029 2" $6.43 $7.77 $8.28 $8.78 $9.31 $9.87
3" $13.71 $17.15 $18.27 $19.37 $20.54 $21.78
4" $26.29 $33.32 $35.49 $37.62 $39.88 $42.28
6" $71.40 $91.36 $97.30 $103.14 $109.33 $115.89
8" $149.24 $191.46 $203.91 $216.15 $229.12 $242.87
10" $266.32 $342.03 $364.27 $386.13 $409.30 $433.86
12" $428.60 $550.72 $586.52 $621.72 $659.03 $698.58
C I T Y O F T O R R A N C E
PUBLIC NOTICE
CITY OF TORRANCE MUNICIPAL WATER RATES
PUBLIC HEARING NOVEMBER 19, 2024
20500 MADRONA AVE. | TORRANCE, CA 90503 | PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT TorranceCA.Gov/PublicWorks | TorranceCA.Gov/Apps | TorranceCA.Gov/WhyTorrance Distribution Date: September 2024
Notice of Public Hearing Regarding Proposed Water Rate Increase During the regularly scheduled meeting of the Torrance City Council on November 19, 2024, at 6:30 p.m., the City Council will hold a Public Hearing in the City Council Chambers located at 3031 Torrance Blvd., Torrance, CA, to discuss proposed increases to municipal water rates for the five -year period, starting J anuary 1, 2025 (CY 2025) through December 31, 2029 (CY 2029). You may protest this potential increase if you wish. If written protests are filed by a total of fifty percent ( 50%) plus one of the total customer accounts served by Torrance Municipal Water and are received by the City Clerk by the end of the Public Hearing, the rate increases cannot be adopted.
Questions or comments may be directed to the Public Works Department at (310) 781 -6900 or [email protected]. Visit www.TorranceCA.Gov/PublicWorks for more information.
SUMMARY OF CITY OF TORRANCE
GUIDELINES FOR SUBMISSION AND TABULATION OF PROTESTS
The following guidelines apply to this protest hearing:
Submission of Protests
1. Any customer billing party of record provided water service by Torrance Municipal Water may submit a written request to the City Clerk, either by hand delivery to the City Clerk’s Office, at 3031 Torrance Blvd, CA, by mail to the City Clerk, 3031 Torrance Blvd, Torrance, CA 90509-2970, or by submitting the protest at the November 19, 2024, public hearing. Protests must be received by the end of the public hearing. No protest received after the public hearing, including a postmarked protest mailed before the hearing, will be counted. Emailed, faxed and photocopied protests will not be counted.
“Customer billing party of record” means the person responsible for paying the water service charges and fees levied by Torrance Municipal Water as shown in City records.
2. Each protest must identify the customer billing account number or street address for which it is made and include the original signature of the customer billing party of record. Although oral comments at the public hearing will not qualify as a formal protest unless accompanied by a written protest, the City Council welcomes input from the community during the public hearing on the proposed water rate increase.
3. If a customer account served by the City has more than one customer billing party on record, any person may submit a protest, but only one protest will be counted per customer account.
4. Any person who submits a protest may withdraw it by submitting to the City Clerk a written request that the protest be withdrawn. The request must identify the customer billing party of record who submitted both the protest and the request that it be withdrawn.
5. A fee protest hearing/proceeding is not an election.
6. To ensure transparency and accountability in the fee protest count, protests will be disclosable public records when they are opened and counted.
C I T Y O F T O R R A N C E
PUBLIC NOTICE
CITY OF TORRANCE MUNICIPAL WATER RATES
PUBLIC HEARING NOVEMBER 19, 2024
20500 MADRONA AVE. | TORRANCE, CA 90503 | PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT TorranceCA.Gov/PublicWorks | TorranceCA.Gov/Apps | TorranceCA.Gov/WhyTorrance Distribution Date: September 2024 Tabulation of Protests
1. The City Clerk, or an appointed designee, will determine the validity of all protests. The City Clerk will not accept as valid any protest if she determines that any of the following conditions exist:
a. The protest does not identify a water service account served by the City of Torrance. b. The protest does not bear an original signature of a customer billing party of record identified on the protest. c. The protest does not state its opposition to the proposed rates. d. The protest was not received by the City Clerk before the close of the public hearing on the proposed rates. e. A request to withdraw the protest is received before the close of the public hearing on the proposed rates.
2. The City Clerk’s decision that a protest is not valid constitutes a final action of the City and is not subject to any internal appeal.
3. A majority protest exists when the total amount of protests received, and determined valid, either equals or exceeds fifty percent (50%) plus one of the customer accounts serviced by the City.
At the end of the public hearing, the City Clerk will count all valid protests received, including those received during the public hearing, and will report the result to the City Council. If a review of the protests received demonstrates that the number received is obviously less than half of customer accounts, the City Clerk may advise the City Council of the absence of a majority protest without validating and counting the protests.
4. If at the end of the public hearing, the City Clerk determines additional time is needed to count the protests, the City Clerk will advise the City Council, which may adjourn the meeting to allow the count to be completed on another day or days. If so, the City Council will declare the time and place of the count, which will be conducted in a place where the public may observe it, and the Council will announce when the meeting will be resumed to receive and act on the report of the City Clerk.
C I T Y O F T O R R A N C E
PUBLIC NOTICE
CITY OF TORRANCE MUNICIPAL WATER RATES
PUBLIC HEARING NOVEMBER 19, 2024
20500 MADRONA AVE. | TORRANCE, CA 90503 | PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT TorranceCA.Gov/PublicWorks | TorranceCA.Gov/Apps | TorranceCA.Gov/WhyTorrance Distribution Date: September 2024
To City of Torrance Municipal Water Billing Parties of Record
For a written protest to be valid, you must include the following information:
✓ A Street Address or Customer Account Number.
✓ An original signature of a Customer Billing Party of Record. ✓ A statement of opposition to the proposed rate increase or by checking the Check Box on the Protest Form on the back of this page.
✓ The protest must be received by the City Clerk before the close of the November 19, 2024, Public Hearing on the proposed rates.
A Protest Form is enclosed should you wish to protest the proposed rates.
20500 MADRONA AVE. | TORRANCE, CA 90503 | PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT TorranceCA.Gov/PublicWorks | TorranceCA.Gov/Apps | TorranceCA.Gov/WhyTorrance Distribution Date: September 2024 City of Torrance
Public Works Department
20500 Madrona Avenue
Torrance, CA 90503
City of Torrance Public Notice
Public Hearing on Proposed
City of Torrance Municipal Water Rate Increase
Dated Material – Please open immediately
City of Torrance Public Notice
Public Hearing on Proposed
City of Torrance Municipal Water Rate Increase
Dated Material – Please open immediately
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Permit #234
Torrance CA
20500 MADRONA AVE. | TORRANCE, CA 90503 | PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT TorranceCA.Gov/PublicWorks | TorranceCA.Gov/Apps | TorranceCA.Gov/WhyTorrance Distribution Date: September 2024
PROTEST FORM
Note: All protests must be received by the City Clerk prior to the close of the public hearing on November 19, 2024. No protest received after the public hearing, including a postmarked protest mailed before the hearing, will be counted. Emailed, faxed and photocopied protests will not be counted.
Deliver or Mail to:
The City Clerk
City of Torrance
3031 Torrance Blvd.
Torrance, CA 90503
Date _______________
Street Address OR Customer Billing Account Number
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
RE: City of Torrance Municipal Water Rate Increase
CHECK ONE:
☐ I PROTEST the City of Torrance Municipal Water rate increase ☐ I WITHDRAW my previously submitted protest
_____________________________________________
Signature
_____________________________________________
Print Name