San Jose’s Municipal Water System serves more than 130,000 households across the city. Overall water usage is expected to go down over the next 12 months, but the utility company says that operating expenses are going up. They predict the cost of maintaining and running the water system will increase by $8.2 million more than last year.
This is one of the reasons why the San Jose City Council voted unanimously to increase water rates in specific neighborhoods starting this July. Some residents pushed back -- but not enough to stop the increase from going into effect.
Early calculations estimate that residential bills may increase anywhere from $16 to $24 per month, with exact numbers varying by neighborhood.
A water bill assistance program is in the works for residents who are struggling to pay their bills. Sacred Heart Community Service will be helping folks enroll online into this program in the weeks ahead.
