Yuba City defends proposed water rate hikes, funds WTP operator succession plan

Yuba City defends proposed water rate hikes, funds WTP operator succession planAs Proposition 218 notices for proposed water and sewer rate increases hit local mailboxes, Yuba City's mayor urged residents to look past social media criticism, while the city council concurrently approved funding to address a critical shortage of certified water treatment plant operators.

Mayor Marc Boomgaarden defended the city's ongoing Proposition 218 water and wastewater rate increase process, calling the proposed rates 'quite reasonable' given system demands.

The city council unanimously approved a three-year limited-term Water Treatment Plant Operator II-III position to address recruitment and retention challenges.

The succession planning initiative will cost approximately $130,000 annually from the Water Enterprise Fund.

The new role allows a lower-certified operator to train for a highly competitive T3 certification, ensuring the city maintains compliance with State Water Resources Control Board regulations.

Yuba City is pushing forward with a Proposition 218 water and wastewater rate increase process, a move city leadership defended during the April 7 city council meeting amidst emerging public pushback. Addressing the council, Mayor Marc Boomgaarden noted that official rate increase notices had recently reached residents' mailboxes, sparking criticism on social media. He urged the public to review the city's official comparative data rather than online commentary. "When you look at the rates that are being proposed through this 218 process, I think they're quite reasonable given all the demands on our water and sewer system," the mayor stated. One of those immediate system demands is maintaining a certified operational workforce. During the same meeting, the city council unanimously approved a measure on its consent calendar to address a critical staffing shortage at the city's Water Treatment Plant (WTP) by authorizing a new three-year limited-term WTP Operator II-III position. According to city staff reports, the plant requires an operator with a minimum Drinking Water Treatment 3 (T3) certification on duty at all times to remain compliant with State Water Resources Control Board regulations. Following the resignation of a WTP Operator III in March 2026, the city highlighted that T3-certified operators are scarce and the regional job market is "highly competitive." To proactively address the retention and recruitment gap, the new limited-term position will allow a T2-certified operator to gain the necessary training and work experience hours to earn their T3 certification in-house. The succession planning initiative is estimated to cost $130,000 annually, funded directly by customer rates through the Water Enterprise Fund. To initiate the program, the council authorized a $40,000 supplemental appropriation from unallocated water funds for the remainder of the 2025-2026 fiscal year.