Proposed Rate Increases 2022 (Novato Service Area)
(Updated May 11, 2022)
The District proposes rate increases for the Novato service area for fiscal year 2022-2023. If approved at the public hearing on June 28, 2022, the new rates will go into effect on July 1, 2022.
A notification was sent out in this week’s mail to announce a proposed 6% rate increase to your water rates and invite customers to participate in the related public hearing originally scheduled for June 21, 2022.
The notification was intended to reach each customer individually but due to a printing error, you may have received a notice (or multiple notices) in this week’s mail addressed to other customers. This in no way compromised your account with North Marin Water District nor did it create any account issues with your associated property.
Due to this printing error, the virtual public hearing has been rescheduled to a later date on June 28, 2022 at 6 pm and you will be receiving an updated notification via USPS early next week. To attend the public hearing customers can participate via Zoom at:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82191971947
Meeting ID: 821 9197 1947
Password: 466521
For more details about the public hearing and the proposed rate increases see the links below.
The key reasons that a 6% rate increase is needed are described below:
- Increased investment in water facilities. The District must continue to invest in facility upgrades and replacements with an approximate cost of $4 million per year. These investments benefit the system’s fire protection, water supply and aging infrastructure and help to address the need to properly maintain the District’s $132 million system of pipelines, pumps, reservoirs, treatment plants, valves, hydrants, laboratory, monitoring systems, buildings and more.
- Rising costs to purchase imported water. The District typically imports 75% of its water from Sonoma County Water Agency. The cost of purchasing imported water accounts for 30% of the budget and the water supplier has forecast that the costs will continue to increase by 6% every year.
- Impact of inflation on all costs. The proposed revenue increase is designed to meet all the costs of providing water service. This includes purchasing, treating, and delivering safe, high-quality, reliable water to your home or business without fail, every day and around the clock.
More Information About Proposed Rate Changes