Upcoming Information Meetings, Tour and Public Hearing

All information meetings will have an option to join virtually. If you wish to join an Information Meeting virtually by phone, please call 669-900-9128 and enter the meeting’s Zoom ID. If you would like assistance, call 855-240-9506.

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Santa Clarita Valley Sanitation District – GENERIC NOTICE

The Santa Clarita Valley (SCV) Sanitation District cleans your wastewater (sewage) and turns it into resources 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. This is a complex process that ensures cleaned water is safe for the environment. You are receiving this notice to inform you of the proposed rate increases, related information meetings, and the Public Hearing.

The SCV Sanitation District is a member of the greater Los Angeles County Sanitation Districts (Sanitation Districts), a collection of 24 independent special districts that act as a regional agency to serve over 5.5 million people in 78 cities and unincorporated areas throughout Los Angeles County. The Sanitation Districts clean about 391 million gallons of wastewater per day in a way that is both environmentally sound and cost effective. That’s enough water to fill the Rose Bowl five times every single day.

Wastewater generated in homes and businesses flows through the sewer systems to one of the SCV Sanitation Districts’ two wastewater treatment plants. The wastewater is then cleaned to produce high-quality recycled water that is suitable for a wide range of uses.

The Sanitation Districts have been converting sewage into clean water since 1962. Over that time, we and our water agency partners have recycled over 1.2 trillion gallons of water.

Santa Clarita Valley’s two treatment plants produce approximately 20 million gallons per day of recycled water. While some of it must go to maintain the habitat of the Santa Clara River, up to seven million gallons per day of this water is available for irrigation of schools, parks, and other community facilities. This locally sourced water helps conserve precious drinking water and paves the way for a more sustainable future.

A new state-mandated advanced water treatment facility is now operating at the Valencia Water Reclamation Plant, which discharges treated wastewater to the Santa Clara River. Using the new treatment system, the treated wastewater going to the river is now significantly lower in chloride (salt) in compliance with state-mandated limits. To learn more about this new advance water treatment facility, click here to watch the video. 

In addition, process modifications at the Saugus Water Reclamation Plant also reduce salt discharge. We carefully monitor our discharge to protect the Santa Clara River and ensure we are compliant with our permits and regulations.

Your quality of life is important to us. In addition to handling your wastewater, we’re actively involved in educational programs at schools across the county, from elementary through high school. Since September 2021, our Sewer Science educational program reached over 2,500 kids in almost 20 schools. We’re also happy to give talks to community groups and provide tours of our facilities—either in-person or virtually.

Before asking for any rate increases, we look for cost savings everywhere we can, which includes:

• Sharing administrative staff among 24 independent sanitation districts
• Collective buying power for volume discounts on chemical purchases
• Keeping electricity costs down by reducing energy consumption and utilizing electricity markets to secure the lowest purchase prices possible
• Supplementing revenues with the sale of reclaimed water
• Pursuing grants and low-interest state and federal loans to fund large projects

You can see above how we stack up against other comparable sewerage agencies. These rates reflect the average homeowner’s total sewerage service fees when this notice was prepared. The SCV Sanitation District’s number is based on our FY2024-25 proposed rate plus local sewer fees collected by the city or county.

Only a small percentage of property tax revenue is available to cover operating costs for your sanitation service. The remaining cost is proportionally distributed to each user based on their discharge. Because sewage metering is expensive and impractical for all but large industrial dischargers, we estimate each user’s discharge using standard loading factors corresponding to the types and sizes of facilities on the user’s parcel.

Proposed Rates (To see proposed rate for your parcel, click here.)

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After 4 years of no increases, the SCV Sanitation District needs to raise rates now, primarily to pay for the additional operations and maintenance costs of the new state-mandated Advanced Water Treatment Facility. There are two options for how the proposed rates will be structured: Rate Structure 1 has a larger increase up front followed by smaller increases closer to inflation. Rate Structure 2 has a more gradual increase in rates, but results in a higher rate in 5 years. We are seeking your input on which proposed rate structure you believe should be used. Please note the adopted structure will apply to all ratepayers. Please email us, call us, or attend one of our information meetings. Rates displayed are shown on a per sewage unit basis. A sewage unit is equal to the discharge from one single-family home.

Rate Structure 1

Rate Structure 2

*This is a sample for Santa Clarita Valley District.

The rates listed below are the maximum of the two Rate Structures. The final adopted rate may be as high as these rates shown for any given year:

We understand our rates can impact your budget. The SCV Sanitation District strives to keep rates as low as possible. In fact, there has not been a rate increase since 2019, even though inflation has risen by approximately 17.3% from 2019 to 2023. The SCV Sanitation District was able to minimize expenses and utilize financial reserves to avoid the need for an increase.

A rate increase is needed now for two reasons. First, a new state-mandated treatment system to remove chloride (salt) has been constructed and began operation in 2023. This system requires significantly more energy and more chemicals to operate. Second, we need to address aging infrastructure to continue reliable service to our customers. Notable projects include over 16 miles of sewer rehabilitation and repairs and infrastructure improvements at the two wastewater treatment plants. These costs combined with inflation, which has especially impacted chemicals and energy, is driving the need for increases.

Click here for frequently asked questions regarding Proposition 218 and the protest process.

Proposition 218 affords property owners the ability to protest the proposed rate structure. Only one (1) valid protest will be counted for each parcel receiving service from the SCV Sanitation District. A valid protest must be received in writing and must include all of the following information:

1. Specifically identify the affected property, such as by Assessor’s Parcel Number, unique street address, and/or customer account number;
2. Include the date, printed name, and signature (scanned or photographed original signature is acceptable) of the individual submitting the protest; AND
3. Indicate opposition to the proposed rate structure.

Once the SCV Sanitation District receives a written protest, it will become a public record and it may be produced for public inspection, including all of the information contained in the written protest document. To be counted, a valid protest must be received by the SCV Sanitation District no later than the close of the Public Hearing to be conducted on May 20, 2024. Any protest received late by the SCV Sanitation District will not be counted, regardless of when it was sent. Protests can be mailed to the SCV Sanitation District at P.O. Box 4000, Whittier, CA 90607-4000. A scanned copy of your protest, including your signature, may also be submitted via email to rates@lacsd.org.

At the time of the Public Hearing, the SCV Sanitation District Board of Directors will receive a final tabulation of all valid written protest received. The SCV Sanitation District Board of Directors may approve the proposed rate structure unless valid written protests are received for a majority of the parcels receiving service from the SCV Sanitation District. Pursuant to California Government Code Section 53759, there is a 120-day statute of limitations for any judicial action or proceeding challenging any new, increased, or extended wastewater fee or charge.

In addition to the virtual meetings and tours listed below, there are several other resources available where you can find out more about the SCV Sanitation District and the entire rate-setting process.

• Visit our website at www.lacsd.org/rates
• Email us at rates@lacsd.org
• Send regular mail to us at Sanitation Districts, P.O. Box 4000, Whittier, CA 90607-4000
• Call us toll free at 855-240-9506