Notice of Public Hearing on Proposed Sewer Service Charge Adjustments

The MVSD Board of Directors will consider the adoption of a rate increase on annual sewer service charges and other rates and fees of the District for sanitary sewer service. The MVSD Board will vote on this rate increase immediately following the above noticed Public Hearing.

WHEN: Thursday, April 9, 2026 at 3:30 PM

WHERE: District Boardroom at 3800 Arthur Road, Martinez

 

Mt. View Sanitary District (MVSD), established in 1923, has been fulfilling its mission to protect the public health and environment, in a safe and reliable manner, at a reasonable cost for over 100 years.  MVSD serves 21,200 residents in portions of the City of Martinez and Contra Costa County unincorporated lands. Our customers send approximately 1.0 million gallons of wastewater to the treatment plant every day through four pump stations and 73 miles of sewer pipelines.  Wastewater comes from flushing the toilet, washing the dishes, showering/bathing, doing laundry, and other basic functions of everyday life.

What Do Sewer Rates Fund?

Every dollar you spend ensures the continuous operation, 24/7, 365 days a year, of the MVSD treatment plant. The wastewater that flows endlessly from your home and/or business enters the MVSD sewage collection system and moves efficiently to the treatment facility. Once it reaches the treatment facility, your wastewater undergoes the required high-level of treatment to protect the environment and meet ever-changing, strict regulations.

Ongoing inflation continues to impact the costs of wastewater treatment and maintaining critical infrastructure, which affects sewer service rates. Your rates cover the cost of the treatment facility and sewage collection system operations and maintenance, infrastructure improvements, analytical testing, and customer service.

 

CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECT HIGHLIGHTS

Wastewater infrastructure is essential. MVSD works diligently to extend the life of its facilities and equipment, maximizing the value of every dollar for its customers. Ongoing investments in the wastewater system help ensure safe, efficient, and reliable service. Projects completed in the past three years include:

·       UV Disinfection Replacement

·       Air Compressor Replacement

·       Pipeline Televised and Cleaning Project Phases 1 and 2

ALTERNATIVE FUNDING

In November, MVSD proactively added a new Grants and Contracts Administrator position to identify non-ratepayer sources of funding for the District. The District has since applied for several grants and will continue to look for future grant and low-interest loan opportunities. The District is actively meeting with its local, state, and federal representatives as well as industry associations, non-profits, and regulatory agencies to build its stakeholder network ahead of upcoming grant opportunities.

 

Proposed New Sewer Rates

The proposed new sewer rates are developed through a rate study process, conducted with a consultant. The rate study utilized the District’s financial plan and analyzed the cost of service to determine requirements. The revenue requirements are proportioned between different customer classes based on their impact on the system.

The rate study recommends general rate revenue increases and cost-of-service updates. The proposed two-year rate schedule is being considered by the District to continue to support the District’s ongoing operations, increased regulatory requirements, and capital requirements for critical infrastructure.

Additional information on the proposed rate schedule is available in the 2026 Sewer Service Charges Study available online at https://mvsd.org/reports.

 

Bill Comparisons

 How Do I Protest?

All owners and tenants of property receiving sanitary sewer service from MVSD are invited to attend the Public Hearing on April 9, 2026, and to comment on the proposed rate increase. Proposition 218 allows property owners to file a written protest before or during the Public Hearing. If written protests are presented by a majority of the District’s property owners, a rate increase will not be approved. Only one written protest per identified parcel or property will be counted for purposes of determining whether there is a majority protest.

ALL PROTESTS MUST:

• be in writing with an original signature from the property owner of record.
• identify the parcel for which the protest is filed, by street address or Assessor’s Parcel Number (APN). If you were not identified as the owner of the property on the most recent Contra Costa County tax roll, written evidence that you presently own the property must be included.
• state that the signer opposes the proposed new sewer rates.
• be received by the District at or before the close of the Public Hearing that will begin at 3:30pm on April 9, 2026.

A written protest may be mailed to the MVSD Board Secretary at 3800 Arthur Road, Martinez, CA 94553.  Or, written protests may be hand-delivered to MVSD officials or staff at the Administration Office during its office hours on or before April 9, 2026, or up to the close of the Public Hearing on the night of the meeting, April 9, 2026.

Email, fax, telephone, and oral protests of any kind will not be counted. Mailed protests received after the close of the Public Hearing will not be counted, even if they were postmarked earlier.

If the Board approves the proposed rates, there is a 120-day statute of limitations for challenging the approved rates (Government Code Section 53759 (d).

Questions?

If you have questions, please call 925-228-5635 during MVSD business hours, 7am-4:30pm, Monday through Thursday, 7am-3:30pm Friday, closed for lunch 12pm-12:30pm daily.