Tens of thousands of South Bay residents will pay more for water next year.
The Sweetwater Authority approved a .5% rate hike beginning Jan. 1 and another 6% hike the following year. By 2026, rates could go up another 6.5%, according to the agency.
Nearly 200,000 customers in Chula Vista, Bonita and National City are serviced by Sweetwater Authority. At a public meeting Wednesday night, many people expressed frustration.
"When you raise a water bill, you don't just raise the price of a water bill. it's the price of everything, all the businesses are going to suffer, and it goes onto the consumer," one resident said.
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"No matter how much the seniors try to save, it's gonna affect them. Simply because the cost of medicine, cost of food, cost of everything," another said.
Sweetwater Authority general manager Carlos Quintero said the agency was able to keep the first increase at .5% because of how much rain fell here last winter.
"Since we have enough local water, this doesn't impact our customers as much. Weather patterns change and right now we're in a good spot, but we could, you know, in the next few years, it could turn around and be in a prolonged drought," Quintero said. "We do keep some reserves and really try to minimize the increase to our repairs."
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Sweetwater Authority also said the rate increases will go towards maintaining pipe replacement, utility costs and maintaining staff.
