PITTSBURG – Residents in Antioch, Pittsburg and Bay Point are now paying more for sewer services after the Delta Diablo Board of Directors approved a rate hike last week.
Customers in Antioch and Pittsburg had their rates raised by 8.5%, while Bay Point residents received a 8.8% increase. As a result, residents of the three cities are will now pay an additional $40.25 and $57.35 per year, respectively, for wastewater treatment services.
On June 26, the board voted 2-0 in favor of the 2025-26 fiscal year increase. Pittsburg Mayor Jelani Killings recused himself from voting as it was his first meeting.
Delta Diablo received 18 written protests and three public comments regarding the changes.
In June 2024, Delta Diablo — formerly known as Delta Diablo Sanitation District — raised rates by about 5% for the 2024-25 fiscal year, resulting in an increase of $2.07 per month for Antioch and Pittsburg residents and $2.76 per month for Bay Point customers.
Residents in Bay Point pay more because Delta Diablo also provides wastewater collection services.
Delta Diablo General Manager Vince De Lange said the board also established a maximum allowable sewer service charge increase for the next four years to support “long-term financial planning and an upcoming planned debt issuance.”
By providing increased revenue collection, Delta Diablo is able to collect the funds needed for capital projects. It is currently implementing significant upgrades at its wastewater treatment plant to address critical aging infrastructure.
According to the sanitation district, it has developed a proposed five-year capital improvement plan, which saw an increase of $51 million from its current $187.1 million estimate.
Delta Diablo aims to channel critical investments into its aging infrastructure, specifically in wastewater conveyance and treatment systems.
Contra Costa County District 5 Supervisor Shanelle Scales-Preston, who is a Delta Diablo boardmember, said infrastructure needs and costs have increased significantly over the years.
“It is critical that we make necessary investments to ensure effective wastewater collection and treatment services for our local community,” said Scales-Preston.
Officials said they will continue to “effectively manage” Delta Diablo’s operating budget, resulting in an annual operating cost increase of only 3.8% over the last four years, despite inflationary pressures.
“However, additional revenue is needed to meet increased labor, energy, biosolids, chemicals, and outside services costs over the next five years,” said Delta Diablo, which provides wastewater conveyance and treatment services for over 218,000 residents in Antioch, Pittsburg, and Bay Point.
De Lange said that moving forward, the district will return to the board to approve the necessary sewer service charge increase based on the district’s updated financial data.
“It may be lower than currently projected (rates), subject to the maximum allowable sewer service charge increases by fiscal year,” said De Lange.
Apart from upgrading its aging infrastructure, Delta Diablo also has to set aside funds to support future compliance with a regulatory mandate issued by the San Francisco Bay Regional Water Quality Control Board.
In July 2024, the water quality control board mandated the removal of elements, such as ammonia and nitrogen, discharged into the San Francisco Bay.
During the Delta Diablo board meeting in late June, Scales-Preston asked if certain groups, such as veterans or those from low- or fixed-income households, can be subsidized for the sewer service charges.
De Lange said Proposition 218 restricts Delta Diablo’s ability to subsidize costs for a certain group of customers as it prohibits customers from being charged more than their proportional cost of services.
“This means we cannot offer certain customers discounts by charging other customers more to make up for the difference,” said De Lange.
De Lange noted that there has been modest growth in Delta Diablo’s service area and collected associated connection fee revenue for new developments in Antioch, Pittsburg, and Bay Point.