Milpitas residents will soon be paying more for water.
The city council last night approved a 65 percent water rate hike. The increase will come in two phases over the next six months - about a 30 percent increase next month and another 35 percent hike in July. The average rate increase will be $28 a month.
Opponents of the plan lined up at last night’s city council meeting.
"There are so many lower-income people on fixed incomes," said Ava Evans-Decarlo," who will become financially devastated. The rates are sure to have a domino effect on local businesses."
But the city said the drought is making water more expensive. For example, Milpitas gets most of its water from the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission, which has increased its price for water more than 20percent.
The cost of infrastructure improvements is another reason for the rate increase, the city said.
