City to consider operational water master fee updates
The Dixon City Council will consider proposed changes to the city’s master fee schedule for water operations at its Tuesday meeting.
The item had previously been scheduled for the March 2 meeting but was pushed back two weeks.
The matter is a followup on a Sanitary Survey issued by the California Division of Drinking Water in 2017, according to a staff report by Senior Civil Engineer Deborah Barr and Water Operations Supervisor Jason Hoffman. One recommendation was to develop a Cross-Connection Control Program, which is “designed to manage all of the required backflow prevention devices and testing, construction meter issuing/testing and to begin providing cross-connection control surveys for all industrial and commercial properties,” Barr and Hoffman wrote.
To help create this program, the city reportedly hired C&M Backflow — a service out of Southern California, to assist in outlining regulations for the proposed program, backflow testing protocols, standards, and specifications of backflow preventers that the city and users within its water system are expected to abide by, according to the report.
In addition to adopting the Cross-Connection Control Program, the council is also being asked to adopt an updated fee master schedule associated with construction meter applications, usage, rental, deposit, and testing fees, per the report.
Currently, the fees consist of $404 for the first 100 units used, $75 for a nonrefundable fire hydrant application fee, and a $700 equipment deposit. There is not a fee for the first backflow test or any retest or relocation. The current schedule also lacks a monthly fee for meter and backflow rental.
Under staff’s proposal, the deposit would be $1,800 altogether and consist of $1.40 per each 100 centum cubic feet used, $100 for fire hydrant application, a $75 deposit for equipment, $75 for the first backflow test, and any retest or relocation, and $100 monthly for a meter and backflow rental.
When a device is returned, accrued fees will be withdrawn from the $1,800 deposit and the difference will be refunded, Barr and Hoffman wrote. Additionally, if the item is lost or returned in bad condition, the entire deposit will not be returned to the contractor.
In other matters, the council will receive and consider the annual progress report for the General Plan update.
The council will meet at 7 p.m. Tuesday.
The meeting can be accessed via Zoom at Us02web.zoom.us/j/9886211 137?pwd=R2dxZ3RkbU9S QXdlUVllRkc0QlQwZz09 and by teleconference at 669-900-9128. The meeting ID is 988 621 1137, and the passcode is 604754. Members of the public may comment by using the “Raise Hand” feature on Zoom or by pressing *9 when teleconferencing.
Comments may also be emailed to publiccomment@cityofdixon.us.