DIXON, CA (MPG) - This year, the City of Dixon has had many water challenges.

Hundreds of thousands of dollars have gone into a failed Valley Glen Well rehabilitation and there is a lawsuit against the state over Chromium water levels. This all comes before the looming water rate increase went into effect in August when residents rose in protest. 

Less than two months later, city officials approved more than $16,000 at the Sept. 17 meeting. On the Consent Agena, Resolution 9.4 approved $16,378: $8,351 for a water rate consult fee and $8,027 for water rate study legal fees.

Prior to the meeting, the Independent Voice contacted officials, speaking again with senior civil engineer Brandon Rodriguez about the seemingly never-ending water costs to residents.

“During the Water Rate Study Project, unanticipated legal costs arose due to various challenges and questions regarding Chromium 6, water rate study alternatives, regulation analysis, and additional meetings that required legal input,” Rodriguez said.

Rodriguez added that the legal fees are specifically for the water rate study and the fund transfer was already included in the Fiscal Year 2024-25 budget. As for the $25,000 fee to join the lawsuit against the state, officials said in August that if not challenged, the mandate could cost the City of Dixon more than $2 million annually.

The Independent Voice also asked for comments on how the additional “unanticipated legal fees” pose concerns for residents.

Officials did not answer that inquiry.

However, Rodriguez did speak to how the additional costs in some way will eventually benefit the taxpayer, when asked what the city is doing now to ensure there are no more water rate increases or costs.

“Staff worked with the Water Rate Advisory Ad Hoc Committee and City Council for over a year to complete the water rate study,” Rodriguez said of the inspection completed by IB Consulting. “The rates that were selected only fund the critical and near-term needs of the water system.”

The senior civil engineer said these rate adjustments are necessary to maintain a safe and reliable drinking water system and fund essential capital improvement projects.

Rodriguez encourages the public to follow the matter, suggesting they visit https://www.cityofdixon.us/watercommittee to review all Water Rate Advisory Ad Hoc Committee materials and meetings.

At the Sept. 17 meeting, Finance Director Kate Zawadzki explained the difference between the two budgets, transferring $1,928.530 from the normal operating budget to the water capital project budget.

“When you look at the Fiscal Year 2025 budget, you can see that we didn't budget many projects; however, we did have $1.7 million in projects for 2024 that didn't occur, so that budget was carried over,” Zawadzki said. “All revenues come into the operating fund, and if we have expenses, we transfer those into the capital project funds.”

Like Rodriguez, outside of the meeting, public information officer Madeline Graf said the Water Ad Hoc Committee “worked for over a year to review the financial and operational history of the water system and understand the system's needs.”

“The city held 12 public committee meetings to discuss potential rates, hosted two public workshops and answered 42 questions submitted by the public,” Graf said.

While city officials did not comment on the consent agenda item at the short regularly-scheduled meeting, Mayor Steve Bird said he recently attended an event that brought “good news.”

“There may be a measure going to ballot that would assist small communities with Chromium 6,” Bird said.