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HomeMy WebLinkAboutResolutions 2011-166 N.C.S. 12/05/2011 Resolution No. 2011-166 N.C.S. of the City of Petaluma, California ADOPTING A NEW RATE SCHEDULE FOR WASTEWATER SERVICE SUPERSEDING RESOLUTION NO. 2007-023 N.C.S. WHEREAS, the City of Petaluma operates and maintains a wastewater collection, treatment, disposal and recycling system; and, WHEREAS, on August 4, 2006, the City entered into a loan Agreement with the State of California and as part of the Agreement made contractual assurances that it would adopt a system of charges to assure reasonable recovery of costs from recipients of the service; and, WHEREAS, the City issued the 2011 Wastewater Revenue Refunding Bonds, which impose specific debt ratio obligations; and, WHEREAS,wastewater services currently provided by the City include collection, treatment, and discharge of treated wastewater, and treatment and distribution of recycled water in a manner to protect the wastewater system, and use of the term "wastewater services" herein refers to all of those services; and, WHEREAS, the City retained The Reed Group, Inc. to develop a Wastewater and Water Rate Study and Financial Plan ("Study"); and, WHEREAS, the Petaluma City Council conducted a public meeting on the proposed rates pursuant to the Study on October 24, 2011; and, WHEREAS, a notice of the proposed wastewater rate increases ("Rates") and a public hearing on possible adoption of the Rates on December 5, 2011 was mailed to wastewater utility customers and record owners of properties that would be impacted by the proposed increases on October 18, 2011; and, Resolution No. 2011-166 N.C.S. Page 1 WHEREAS, a notice of the proposed Rates and the December 5 public hearing was published in the Petaluma Argus Courier on October 20, 2011; and, WHEREAS, the Petaluma City Council conducted a public hearing on the proposed Rates on December 5, 2011, and received testimony and considered all evidence ("the Record") presented regarding the proposed Rates; and, WHEREAS, a majority of the record owners of properties that would be impacted by the rate increases did not protest the increases; and, • WHEREAS, after due consideration, the Petaluma City Council finds based on the Study and the Record that: (1) The proposed Rates as presented herein are necessary to achieve full recovery of the costs of providing wastewater services to residents and businesses in Petaluma; (2) The proposed Rates as presented,herein will not generate revenue in excess of the cost of providing wastewater services; (3) The proposed Rates as presented herein will not be used for purposes other than providing wastewater services; (4) The Rates or charges imposed on any parcel or person as an incident of property ownership shall not exceed the proportional cost of the service attributable to the parcel; (5) Proper notice of the proposed Rates were given to record owners of properties that would be impacted by the proposed increases, as prescribed by law; and (6) A majority of record owners of properties that would be impacted by the proposed increases did not protest the proposed Rates; and WHEREAS, the proposed Rates are not a "tax" as defined in Section 1, paragraph (e) of Article XIIIC of the California Constitution ("Proposition 26") because such rates are imposed for a specific benefit conferred or privilege granted directly to the payor that is not provided to those not charged, and which does not exceed the reasonable cost to the local government of providing the service or product; and/or such fees and charges are imposed for a specific government service or product provided directly to the payor that is not provided to those not Resolution No.2011-166 N.C.S. Page 2 charged, and which does not exceed the reasonable cost to the local government of providing the service or product; and/or such fees and charges are imposed for the reasonable regulatory costs to a local government for issuing licenses and permits, performing investigations, inspections and audits, enforcing agricultural marketing orders and the administrative enforcement and adjudication thereof; and/or such fees and charges are imposed as a condition of property development; and, WHEREAS, adoption of revised rates and charges pursuant to this resolution involves • the establishment, modification, restructuring or approval of rates and charges, as identified and analyzed in the Study, including rates and charges to obtain funds for meeting operating expenses, purchasing or leasing supplies, equipment or materials, meeting financial reserve needs and requirements and/or obtaining funds for capital projects necessary to maintain service within existing service areas. Therefore, adoption of this resolution setting rates and charges is not a project under the California Environmental Quality Act pursuant to California Public Resources Code Section 21080(b)(8)(D) and 14 Cal. Code Regs. Section 15273. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Petaluma City Council hereby adopts this resolution superseding Resolution 2007-023 N.C.S. effective January 1, 2012. ARTICLE I GENERAL SECTION 1.1: PURPOSE. (A) Findings. The above recitals are hereby declared to be true and correct and to be findings of the City Council of the City of Petaluma and are made a part of this resolution. (B) Revenue. The purpose of the wastewater service charge is to raise revenue for the cost of operation and maintenance of the City of'Petaluma's wastewater utility used for the collection, treatment, disposal, and recycling of domestic wastewater, industrial wastewater, commercial wastewater, and for payment of principal and interest on bonds and capital recovery costs, and for collection and disposal of storm water. (C) Resolution. The purpose of this resolution is to establish a method of sharing the cost of the operation and maintenance of the City's wastewater utility among the users of wastewater service. Resolution No.2011-166 N.C.S. Page 3 (D) Study. This resolution and the wastewater charges established in this resolution are based on the Wastewater and Water Rate Study and Financial Plan prepared by The Reed Group, Inc. The Study is attached to and made a part of this resolution as Exhibit A. ARTICLE II DEFINITIONS SECTION 2.1: DEFINITIONS. "Accessory Dwelling" means as specified in Article 21 of the Petaluma Zoning Ordinance. "BOD" means biochemical oxygen demand. "Director means the Director of Water Resources and Conservation, or his/her designee. "Dwelling Unit" means: (a) Any single-family residential dwelling or mobile home designed for occupancy by one family, each of which shall be deemed equivalent to one dwelling unit, and (b) Any duplex, triplex, fourplex, townhouse or condominium, apartment house, lofts, mobile home park or other multi-residential establishment, designed for occupancy for living purposes by more than one family, which is divided into separate residential units, each of which is designed for occupancy by one family only, each resident unit shall be deemed equivalent to one dwelling unit. For example, an apartment complex with 10 apartments shall be considered to have 10 dwelling units. "hef' means hundred cubic feet. One hcf is equivalent to 748 gallons. "Low Strength" means Non-residential User wastewater with a BOD concentration of less than or equal to 350 mg/L and a TSS concentration of less than or equal to 300 mg/L. "High Strength" means Non-residential User wastewater with a BOD concentration of greater than or equal to 701 mg/L and a TSS concentration of greater than or equal to 451 mg/L. .. "Medium Strength" means Non-residential User wastewater with a BOD concentration of 351 to 700 mg/L and a TSS concentration of 301 to 450 mg/L. "Metered Industrial Users" means a Non-residential User whose wastewater discharge is metered and whose wastewater service charge is based on laboratory analysis of the user's wastewater: Users placed in this category shall be as determined by the Director. "Non-residential User" includes, but is not limited to, any commercial, industrial or institutional customer. "Residential User" means any single-family residential dwelling or mobile home designed for occupancy by one family, and any duplex, triplex, fourplex, townhouse or Resolution No. 2011-166 N.C.S. Page 4 condominium, apartment house, mobile home park or other multi-residential establishment, designed for occupancy for living purposes by more than one family, which is divided into separate residential units, each of which is designed for occupancy by one family only. "TSS" means total suspended solids. "Unmetered Residential" means Residential Users whose potable water is provided in part or in whole by a water source other than the City of Petaluma. ARTICLE III RATES SECTION 3.1: FIXED MONTHLY FEES. (A) Residential Users. The fixed monthly fee for Residential Users, per dwelling unit, shall be as set forth in Table 1. (B) Non-residential Users. The fixed monthly fee for Non-residential Users shall be as set forth in Table 1. Table 1. Fixed Monthly Wastewater and Wastewater Usage Charges January 2012 Monthly Service Charge Single Family Residential $ 17.15 Unmetered $ 79.55 Multi-Family Residential (per DU) $ 14.94 Non-Residential Up to 3/4" meter $ 17.15 1" meter $ 25.88 1 1/2" meter $ 47.52 2" meter $ 73.59 3" meter $ 134.47 4" meter $ 221.41 6" meter $ 438.57 Metered Industrial 2" Ultrasonic Meter $ 199.64 10" Ultrasonic Meter $ 438.61 2" Magnetic Meter $ 134.47 3" Magnetic Meter $ 286.54 4" Magnetic Meter $ 438.61 6" Magnetic Meter $ 1,090.36 Resolution No.2011-166 N.C.S. Page 5 January 2012 - Wastewater Usage Charge ($/hcO Single Family Residential $ 7.78 .: Multi-Family Residential (per DU) $ 7.78 Non-Residential Low Strength $ 7.62 Medium Strength $ 9.35 High Strength $ 12.16 Metered Industrial (2) Flow ($/hcf) $ 6.06 BOD ($/lb) $ 0.58 TSS ($/lb) $ 0.67 Notes: (1) Effective January 1. (2) Includes customers for which wastewater flows are sampled and tested to determine appropriate charges. (3) Proposed rates include rate restructuring as well as an overall 5 percent revenue increase over the current rates. (C) Fixed Monthly Fee Annual hrcreases. Beginning January 1, 2013 and each January 1 thereafter, fixed monthly fees shall increase based on changes to the San Francisco- Oakland-San Jose consumer price index (San Francisco CPI) for all items and all urban consumers from August to August in the preceding year plus one and one-half percent (1.5%), with a minimum annual increase of two percent (2%). SECTION 3.2: USER CHARGES. (A) Residential Users. In addition to the fixed monthly fee set forth in Section 3.1, there shall be a user charge for Residential Users as set forth in Table 1, based on the amount of wastewater discharged. The amount of wastewater discharged shall be established based on the average amount of water used each month during the winter months. The winter months shall generally be December, January, February, and/or March, but actual winter months used for this determination may vary depending on individual billing cycles or pattern of use, as determined by the Director. The average becomes effective each July and is based on the most recent average winter water usage. If the customer does not have sufficient history to make such determination, then the amount of water used shall be set at a default of 8 hcf. (B) Non-residential Users. In additional to the fixed monthly fee set forth in Section 3.1, there shall be a user charge for Non-residential Users, based on the amount of water used or `. discharged, as set forth in Table 1. Resolution No.2011-166 N.C.S. Page 6 (l) User Charge for Non-Residential Users with Shared Water Meters. If a water meter is used by Non-residential Users in different customer classes, the user charge shall be based on the Non-residential User with the higher wastewater strength. For example, if a Low Strength user and a High Strength user use the same water meter, the wastewater user charge shall be based on the High Strength user rate. (2) Commercial Customers. Commercial customers shall be assessed a variable user charge based on the strength of the wastewater, Low, Medium, or High. Assignment to Low, Medium, or High strength shall be as determined by the Director, or based on laboratory analyses of the Non-residential User's wastewater. A State of California Certified laboratory must conduct the laboratory analysis. (C) User Charges Annual Increases. Beginning January 1, 2013 and each January 1 thereafter, user charges shall increase based on changes to the San Francisco-Oakland-San Jose consumer price index for all items and all urban consumers from August to August in the preceding year plus one and one-half percent (1.5%), with a minimum annual increase of two percent (2%). SECTION 3.3: SPECIAL CHARGES AND FEES. (A) Sample Collection and Laboratory Analysis. The City shall charge for samples collected by the City and analyzed by the City or an outside laboratory for the purpose of determining wastewater charges. Charges shall be assessed for collecting the sample and for laboratory analysis of the sample. (1) Collection Charges. (a) For the Purpose of Determining Wastewater Charges. The charge for collecting a "grab" sample shall be $75. The charge for collecting a "composite" sample shall be $250. (b) For Violation Follow-Up Sampling. The charge for • collecting a "grab" sample shall be $100. The charge for collecting a composite sample shall be $350. (2) Laboratory Analysis Charges. (a) Outside Laboratories. Samples analyzed by outside laboratories shall be charged at cost per sample. (b) City Laboratory. Samples analyzed by the City's laboratory for conventional pollutants shall be $125 per sample. • Resolution No. 2011-166 N.C.S. Page 7 (B) Septic Waste. Discharge of septic waste shall be charged at$0.25 per gallon of discharge. Discharge may not occur without a permit. (C) Short-Term Discharge. A short-term discharge fee is hereby established at $0.06 per gallon, with a$500.00 minimum fee, plus a permit fee of$200.00. These fees shall apply to direct temporary discharges from a point of discharge for which a City connection charge is inapplicable or for which connection charges sufficient to address the temporary discharge have not been paid, including, but not limited to, temporary discharges of groundwater. Discharge may not occur without a permit and may not continue for more than one year from the effective date of permit. If the discharge period does continue beyond one year, discharger will be assessed applicable and then-current wastewater service and connection fees. The decision to accept any such temporary discharge and all requirements pertaining to the acceptance of such temporary discharge, wastewater service charges, shall be based on an evaluation of the effect on capacity, compliance with regulations, and any other factors that could affect the overall operations of the wastewater treatment facility. Such discharges shall fully comply with all applicable federal, state and local laws, regulations and orders, including, but not limited to,the City's sewer use regulations as described in Chapters 15.48 through 15.76 of the Petaluma Municipal Code. SECTION 3.4: RATES FOR WASTEWATER USERS OUTSIDE OF THE CITY LIMITS. (A) Residential Users. Residential users outside of the City limits shall be charged $0.80 per month for each dwelling unit in addition to the charge set forth in Section 3.1. (B) Non-Residential Users. Non-residential users outside of the City limits shall be charged $0.80 per month for each account in additional to the charge set forth in Section 3.1. Under the power and authority conferred upon this Council by the Charter of said City. REFERENCE: Council of the City of Petaluma a atauRegular meeting on hed5"Iday of December, f r d as to 2011.by the following vote: ity Attorney AYES: Albertson,Barrett,Mayor Glass, Kearney, Renee NOES: Barris,Vice Mayor Healy ABSENT: None ABSTAIN: None frOr ATTEST: City Clerk Mayor Resolution No. 2011-166 N.C.S. Page 8 • EXHIBIT A TO RESOLUTION 2011-166 N.C.S. atiff of P -o fr„4k t..x.; WATER AND WASTEWATER FINANCIAL PLAN AND RATE STUDY FINAL REPORT November 4,2011 M il 1 Cs THE REED GROUP, INC. 3053 Freeport Boulevard#158 • Sacramento, CA 95818-4346 • (916)444-9622 • www.TheReedGroup.org TABLE OF CONTENTS I. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 1 INTRODUCTION 1 FIVE-YEAR FINANCIAL PLANS 3 WATER AND WASTEWATER RATES AND RATE STRUCTURES 7 II. FIVE-YEAR FINANCIAL PLANS 12 FUND/RESERVE STRUCTURE AND CASH FLOWS 12 FINANCIAL PLAN ASSUMPTIONS 14 WATER SYSTEM FINANCIAL PLAN 21 WASTEWATER SYSTEM FINANCIAL PLAN 26 III. WATER RATES 33 EXISTING WATER RATES 33 RATE SETTING OBJECTIVES 33 CUSTOMER ACCOUNT DATA AND WATER USE ESTIMATES 34 WATER RATE CALCULATIONS 36 PROPOSED WATER RATE SCHEDULE FOR 2012 42 FUTURE ADJUSTMENTS TO WATER RATES 44 IV. WASTEWATER RATES 47 EXISTING WASTEWATER RATES 47 RATE SETTING OBJECTIVES 49 CUSTOMER ACCOUNT DATA AND WASTEWATER FLOW AND LOADING ESTIMATES 49 WASTEWATER RATE CALCULATIONS 51 PROPOSED WASTEWATER RATE SCHEDULE FOR 2012 56 FUTURE ADJUSTMENTS TO WASTEWATER RATES 58 THE REED GROUP, INC. WATER AND WASTEWATER CITY OF PETALUMA FINANCIAL PLAN AND RATE STUDY 1 Executive Summary m. � Introduction In 2009, the City of Petaluma (City) contracted with The Reed Group, Inc. to develop financial plans and to conduct rate studies for the City's water and wastewater utilities. In 2007, the City adopted 5-year rate plans for both utilities. Those rate plans were intended to provide the revenues necessary to fund ongoing operations, meet debt service obligations, and fund capital improvement programs including the construction of the Ellis Creek Water Recycling Facility (WRF), for both utilities through 2011. A number of significant events transpired since 2007 that have affected each utility's financial performance, including but not limited to a significant slowdown in the general economy, restricted water supplies and higher than expected water supply costs, reduced water demands and sewer flows, and ballot measures potentially affecting utility rates. Nevertheless,the 5-year rate plans adopted in 2007 proved to be both necessary and sufficient. The final year of the 2007 5-year rate plans began in January 2011. In the fall of 2010, a Final Draft of the Water and Wastewater Financial Plan and Rate Study, dated October 27, 2010, was prepared and presented to the City Council. That report included the following finding: Finding: The water rates approved in 2007 for 2011 are still necessary and should be implemented as previously planned. However, The Reed Group, Inc. believes that the wastewater rate increase of 13 percent approved in 2007 for 2011 could be reduced to 9 percent. In addition, this should also mark the end of significant rate increases for both the water and wastewater utilities. Based on this finding, and other information in the 2010 Final Draft report, the City reduced the January 2011 wastewater rate increase from 13 percent to 9 percent. The City also then took steps to refinance existing wastewater short-term bridge financing Lines of Credit (LOCs) with the issuance of new long-term bonds. The decision was made to postpone the completion of the water and wastewater study until after the completion of the issuance of new debt. During this time, the City completed the 2010 Urban Water Management Plan (UWMP), and was able to consider deferral of recycled water projects. Finally, this update also reflects estimated actual results from FY 10-11 as well as the draft budget for FY 11-12. The water and wastewater financial plan and rate study, and this revised report, now presents water and wastewater rate recommendations for the period 2012 through 2016, and reflects the actions and decisions that have transpired over the past year. Changes Made Since October 2010 In revising the rate study report a number of changes have been made to update the financial plans and the rate analyses, as well as the narrative portions of the report. The most significant changes include the following: • Incorporate estimated FY 10-11 revenues and expenses, as well as the draft FY 11-12 operating and 5-year capital improvement budgets • Extend financial plan models through FY 15-16 to maintain a 5-year planning period consistent with the capital improvement program • Reflect the City Council's action to reduce the 2011 wastewater rate increase from 13 percent to 9 percent, including revising revenue estimates /-. THE REED GROUP,INC. PAGE 1 WATER AND WASTEWATER CITY OF PETALUMA FINANCIAL PLAN.AND RATE STUDY • Reflect 2011 Wastewater Revenue Refunding Bonds and the associated debt repayment schedule, as well as the refunding of prior obligations • Reflect the anticipated final SRF loan repayment schedule, including a final disbursement of an estimated $12.774 million as the final reimbursement of costs under.the SRF loan • Include establishment and funding of the Ellis Creek WRF capital reserve fund (ECWRF CRF)as required by the SRF loan • Incorporate the deferral of recycled water projects as presented to the City Council on September 6, 2011 • Eliminate the budgeted FY 11-12 storm drainage costs contained in the wastewater utility budget to ensure that no storm drainage costs are included in the wastewater utility budget or wastewater rates, and that the wastewater utility budget includes only wastewater utility costs.. • Modify assumptions pertaining to interest rates on fund/reserve balances, as well as new connections to the water and wastewater systems to reflect the continued downward pressure on interest rates and the slow rebound in the general economy • Consider the impacts of the increased winter water usage that occurred in the winter of 2011 on the calculation of wastewater rates • Modify proposed rate and rate structure recommendations to begin in January 2012, rather than January 2011 • Modify proposed automatic adjustment rate adjustment mechanism for SCWA rate changes to begin in July 2012, rather than 2011, and automatic water and wastewater rate adjustments for inflation to begin in January 2013, rather than 2012 • Remove references to and discussion of the potential ramifications of the passage of Measure U, as the measure was defeated in the November 2010 election. This report documents the financial planning and rate analyses performed to look at the next five years (2012 through 2016) for the water and wastewater utilities. The water utility has been financially challenged by cost increases from the Sonoma County Water Agency (SCWA). Nevertheless, the water utility appears in a fairly stable financial condition. The wastewater utility has faced significant financial issues stemming from, in part, construction and start-up operations of the new Ellis Creek WRF, as well as from the uncertainty created by a ballot initiative (Measure U), which could have rolled back wastewater rates to the levels that existed in 2006. In addition, the difficult economic times, reduced water and wastewater demands, and a debt burden associated with the construction of the Ellis Creek WRF have each contributed to the financial conditions that existin the utilities. Finding: In spite of current circumstances, relative rate stability appears possible for both utilities. In addition to examining the financial obligations of the water and wastewater utilities, this study also included examination of existing water and wastewater rate structures, as well as development of recommendations to reflect rate setting objectives of (1) reflecting the cost of providing service, (2) improving equity, (3) continuing to encourage water conservation, and (4) maintaining rates as low as possible while meeting financial obligations. THE REED GROUP, INC. PAGE 2 WATER AND WASTEWATER CITY OF PETALUMA FINANCIAL PLAN AND RATE STUDY Finding: Relatively modest water rate structure changes would assist in meeting the City's rate setting objectives. Finding: More significant changes to wastewater rates are necessary to better meet rate setting objectives. Any change to rate structures can cause some customers to pay more and others to pay less, even in a revenue neutral setting. Proposed changes to water rate structures would have minor impacts on most customers' water bills. Proposed wastewater rates, however, will likely result in smaller wastewater bill increases for residential customers (relative to an across-the-board rate adjustment) and larger bill increases for many non-residential customers, including industrial customers. The proposed rate structure changes reflect cost of service requirements and improve the proportionate distribution of costs across customer classes. Information on the impact of proposed rate structure changes on water and wastewater bills for representative customers is presented in Sections III and IV, respectively. The remainder of this Executive Summary summarizes financial plan and rate study recommendations. Other sections of the report provide additional details of the study. Section II presents information and assumptions related to development of both the water and wastewater financial plans. Section III describes water rate and rate structure recommendations. Section IV describes wastewater rate and rate structure recommendations. Five-Year Financial Plans The five-year financial plans for the water and wastewater utilities cover the period from FY 11-12 through FY 15-16. The models are based on the City's FY 11-12 draft budget, 5-year capital improvement plans (including recent deferral of recycled water projects), and existing debt service obligations. The financial plan models are intended to serve as planning and management tools, and enable the City to take a multi-year look at its financial needs. Both the water and wastewater utilities are intended to be self-supporting enterprises of the City. That is, each utility is expected to generate the revenues (through user charges, capacity fees, and other revenues)to cover the ongoing costs of: (1)operations, maintenance, and administration, (2) debt service, (3) capital improvements to provide needed capacity and to rehabilitate and upgrade the utility systems, and (4)maintaining both prudent and required financial reserves. Recommendation: It is recommended that the City create separate operating and capital funds within both the water and wastewater utilities. With this proposed fund structure and financial framework, all rate revenues as well as operating, maintenance, and debt service costs would be reflected in the operating funds. All capital improvement projects would be funded from the capital funds. Grant and/or debt proceeds would be deposited into the capital funds, capacity fee revenues would accrue to the capital funds, and transfers would be made annually from operating funds to the capital funds in support of the capital improvement program. This fund structure is common among municipal utilities and provides a useful means of separately assessing the operational and capital needs of each utility, as well as the sources of funding for each. In addition, this fund structure also provides greater transparency of the financial condition, as well as the relationship between various types of revenues and utility costs. The financial plans presented in this report follow this fund structure. It is described in more detail in Section II of this report. THE REED GROUP, INC. PAGE 3 WATER AND WASTEWATER CITY OF PETALUMA FINANCIAL PLAN AND RATE STUDY Section II of this report presents details of the five-year financial plans for both the water and wastewater utilities. The financial plans are used to identify the annual water and wastewater rate revenue requirements, which are subsequently used in rate calculations. Water Utility The water utility appears to be in a relatively stable financial situation with current revenues generally matching current operating and maintenance expenses, including debt service. The most significant financial issues impacting the water utility are the increased cost of water purchases from the SCWA and the need to maintain and rehabilitate the water system by supporting the capital improvement program with a portion of water rate revenues. During the past four years the SCWA increased the rate charged to the City for wholesale water purchases by approximately 10 percent, 10 percent, 7 percent, and 5 percent, respectively. Wholesale rate increases of this magnitude were not considered when the City developed and implemented the current financial and rate plans. The utility has managed the increased cost of water supplies, in part, by meeting peak water demands from groundwater, through water conservation, and by limiting costs in other parts of the utility's operations and capital program. Reduced overall water demands have also lessened the need for purchasing water from SCWA. The water utility has relatively little outstanding long-term debt. Based on the financial plan information and assumptions no additional long-term debt for the water utility is anticipated within the five-year planning period. In addition, with proposed water rate adjustments, it is estimated that about $2.0 million of water rate revenue annually could be contributed to the water capital fund in support of planned and past-deferred capital improvements. While average annual capital program expenditures are about $2.5 million over the next five years, existing reserves as well as estimated capacity fee revenues appear sufficient to generally fund the balance of the current water capital improvement program without water rate increases beyond those proposed in this report, and without additional debt financing. The water system financial plan also reflects maintenance of a 25 percent operating reserve. That is, the balance in the operating fund is maintained at or above an amount equal to 25 percent of annual operating and maintenance expenses, excluding debt service and transfers to the capital fund. For the water utility, this would amount to about $2.66 million in FY 11-12. This operating reserve would serve as working capital and be available for emergencies or unanticipated increased expenses or reduced revenues. While operating reserves tend to range from 10 percent to 50 percent of annual operating and maintenance expenses, a 25 percent reserve is common among municipal utilities. The Reed Group, Inc. believes a 25 percent operating reserve to be a reasonable financial target for the near-term. The issue is discussed in greater detail in Section II of this report. For January 2012, it is recommended that water rates increase by an overall 4 percent. This increase represents the overall impact of the 5 percent increase in wholesale water supply costs from SCWA and the need to provide funding for capital improvement projects. Beyond this increase, it is recommended that the City adopt two automatic mechanisms for adjusting the water rates in the future. The first adjustment would be tied to any changes in the rates charged by the SCWA, which have generally become effective in July of each year. AB 3030, signed into law in 2008, provides for the adoption of automatic pass-through adjustments related to changes in wholesale water purchase costs. This adjustment would apply only to the water usage rates, and not to fixed service charges. The second rate adjustment would be an annual inflationary rate adjustment, and would be applied to the entire rate structure. Based on the information and assumptions reflected in the 5-year financial plan, it appears that the water utility's financial stability can be maintained with annual rate THE REED GROUP, INC. PAGE 4 WATER AND WASTEWATER CITY OF PETALUMA FINANCIAL PLAN AND RATE STUDY adjustments tied to the rate of general inflation. The City has historically adjusted water rates each January, and it is recommended that this practice continue (in addition to the pass-through adjustment related to the wholesale cost of water). The indexing of water rates should be tied to the San Francisco-Oakland-San Jose consumer price index for all items and all urban consumers (San Francisco CPI). Because of the current relatively stable status of the water utility, financial plan recommendations for the water system are limited to the following: • Increase water rates in January 2012 by an overall 4 percent to reflect the effects of SC WA's water rate increase of 5 percent effective in July 2011 and the need to fund capital improvement projects. Specific changes to the water rate structure, to be implemented in January 2012, are described later in this report. • Adopt a mechanism for automatically adjusting water rates to reflect changes in wholesale water purchase costs from SCWA, as described in Section III of this report. The SCWA historically has adjusted its water rates annually effective in July of each year. Increased revenues from automatic rate adjustments are reflected in the financial plan model based on assumed annual 6 percent SCWA rate increases. The proposed automatic adjustment formula would, however, tailor the amount of the adjustment to the specific action by SCWA. Only the City's water usage rates would be affected by this adjustment (not fixed monthly service charges). As illustrated in Section III of this report, a 6 percent increase in the wholesale cost of water in FY 12-13 would result in a 2.7 percent increase in the City's water usage rates. • Beyond the scheduled 4 percent rate adjustment in January 2012,the City should adopt a mechanism for adjusting water rates annually, beginning in January 2013, to reflect the changes in general inflation using the San Francisco CPI for this purpose. The financial plan assumes general inflation to be 3 percent per year during the 5-year planning period. Water rate revenue projections reflect annual increases of this magnitude beginning in January 2013. This rate adjustment would apply to the entire water rate structure. • Establish and maintain a capital fund with annual transfers from the operating fund, and capacity fee revenue from new development to pay for planned water infrastructure improvements and recycled water capital projects. • Maintain an operating reserve in the operating fund equal to at least 25 percent of annual operating and ,maintenance expenses, exclusive of debt service and transfers to the capital fund. In conclusion, the water system appears to be in a financially stable condition. However, anticipated increases in operating and maintenance costs (principally water purchase costs), as well as capital program needs, justify continuing to adjust water rates to reflect inflationary pressures. While the assumptions and information used in the preparation of the water system financial plan are believed to be reasonable, no assurances can be made that actual financial results will be as presented herein. City staff should continue to monitor the financial condition of the water utility, as well as changes in water demands and related rate revenues,to ensure that the utility continues on a sound financial course. Deferred maintenance, contractual obligations, and regulatory requirements may prioritize additional capital investments. THE REED GROUP, INC. PAGE 5 WATER AND WASTEWATER CITY OF PETALUMA FINANCIAL PLAN AND RATE STUDY Wastewater Utility The wastewater utility has been in a more challenging financial situation than the water utility due primarily to the debt burden associated with construction of the Ellis Creek WRF. Nevertheless, if the City is able to maintain its present course, financial and rate stability is possible, with the proposed rate adjustment in January 2012 followed by annual inflationary rate adjustments during the 5-year planning period. In FY 08-09 the City began operation of the Ellis Creek WRF and ceased operation of most components of the Hopper Street wastewater treatment facility. Construction of the Ellis Creek WRF facility is complete and the wastewater utility has moved into steady-state treatment operations. The Ellis Creek WRF was financed primarily with a State Revolving Fund (SRF) loan from the California State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB). In addition, the City utilized nearly $25 million from short-term Lines of Credit (LOCs) from two commercial banks. The City began making principal and interest payments on the SRF loan in April 2010. In February 2011, the City completed the repayment of the LOCs with the issuance of $22.465 million in new Wastewater Revenue Refunding Bonds. The wastewater system financial plan reflects maintenance of a 25 percent operating reserve. That is, the balance in the operating fund is maintained at or above an amount equal to 25 percent of annual operating and maintenance expenses, excluding debt se vice and transfers to the capital fund. For FY 11-12, this amounts to $2.71 million. This operating reserve would serve as working capital and be available for emergencies or unanticipated increased expenses or reduced revenues. In FY 09-10 the City placed $3.5 million in available wastewater funds in a rate stabilization fund,to be used to assist in meeting debt service coverage obligations. The financial plan reflects the partial use of the rate stabilization fund for this purpose. The rate stabilization fund is described in greater detail in Section II of this report. In addition, the wastewater financial plan includes the ECWRF capital reserve fund as required by SRF loan documents. The financial plan includes contributions to the ECWRF CRF of$650,000 annually to meet loan requirements. The funds, including interest earnings, accumulate in the CRF over the planning period. For January 2012, it is recommended that wastewater rates increase by an overall 5 percent. This increase is needed to cover ongoing operation and maintenance costs, meet debt service obligations, and provide funding for capital improvement projects. The rate increase has been limited, in part, as a result of eliminating storm drainage costs from the wastewater utility budget. Based on financial plan analyses, it appears that the wastewater utility's financial condition can then be maintained with annual rate adjustments tied to the rate of inflation, plus 1.5 percent. The City has historically adjusted wastewater rates each January, and it is recommended that this practice continue. The indexing of wastewater rates should be tied to the San Francisco CPI, which the City has relied upon for other purposes. Minimum rate increases of at Ieast•2.0 percent are advised (e.g., if general inflation is 0 percent a 2.0 percent rate increase is recommended). The wastewater utility had significant cash balances at the beginning of FY 10-11 as the Ellis Creek WRF project concluded construction. About $10 million dollars of the initial balance was used to repay a portion of outstanding LOCs. In February 2011, the City issued new debt in order to refinance the outstanding short-term LOC loans with long-term debt. THE REED GROUP, INC. PAGE 6 WATER AND WASTEWATER CITY OF PETALUMA FINANCIAL PLAN AND RATE STUDY The wastewater utility is in a more stable financial position than in the recent past. As a result of these improvements, financial plan recommendations for the wastewater utility include the following: • Adjust the overall level of the wastewater rates in January 2012 by 5 percent to support ongoing operations, meet debt repayment obligations associated with the SRF loan and 2011 Wastewater Revenue Refunding Bonds, and support the capital improvement program. • Beyond the rate adjustment in 2012, the City should adopt a plan for adjusting wastewater rates annually, beginning in January 2013, to reflect the changes in general inflation as reflected in the San Francisco CPI plus 1.5 percent, as described in Section IV of this report. This adjustment would be subject to a 2.0 percent minimum to protect the financial stability of the utility to maintain service levels. • Establish and maintain a capital fund with money from the final cost reimbursement under the SRF loan, annual transfers from the operating fund, and capacity fee revenues to pay for planned wastewater infrastructure improvements and recycled water capital projects. • Provide annual funding of the Ellis Creek WRF CRF through annual transfers from the wastewater operating fund. • Use a portion of funds from the rate stabilization fund, as needed, over the next several years in order to meet debt service coverage requirements. • Maintain a minimum operating reserve in the operating fund equal to at least 25 percent of annual operating and maintenance expenses, exclusive of debt service. Deferring the construction of recycled water projects does not have an impact on the need to adjust wastewater rates. Recycled water project are planned to be funded with capacity fee revenue, rather than rate revenue. In addition, the need to increase wastewater rates is primarily driven by requirements for meeting debt service coverage obligations, at least in the near-term (i.e., next two to three years). In conclusion, with the proposed rate adjustment for January 2012 the wastewater system appears financially stable. For the remainder of the 5-year planning period, anticipated increases in operating and maintenance costs as well as continuing debt service obligations and capital program needs warrant continuing to adjust wastewater rates to reflect inflationary pressures. While the assumptions and information used in the preparation of the wastewater system financial plan are believed to be reasonable, no assurances can be made that actual financial results will be as presented herein. City staff should continue to monitor the financial condition of the wastewater utility, as well as changes in wastewater demands and related rate revenues, to ensure that the utility proceeds on a sound financial course. Water and Wastewater Rates and Rate Structures Proposed water and wastewater rates and rate structure changes are intended to assist the City with meeting financial obligations as well as achieving rate setting objectives. The following rate setting objectives have guided the development of the proposed rate structures for the water and wastewater utilities: THE REED GROUP, INC. PAGE 7 WATER AND WASTEWATER CITY OF PETALUMA FINANCIAL PLAN AND RATE STUDY • Rates should generate sufficient revenues to meet each utility's financial obligations related to operations, debt service, capital improvement needs, and maintenance of prudent reserves • Rates should be equitable by reflecting the cost of providing service to each customer class • Rates should continue to encourage water conservation and efficient water use • Rates should be held as low as possible,while still meeting financial obligations. Water Rates Current single family residential water rates include a fixed service charge plus 4-tier water usage rates. Multi-family, commercial, institutional, industrial, and irrigation customer water rates are subject to fixed service charges plus a uniform water usage rate. In general, the water rates are functioning as intended. However, moderate changes to the water rate structure are proposed to improve equity as well as the conservation incentive embodied in the single family tiered water rate structure. The proposed water rates for January 2012 are shown in Exhibit I-1 and, as indicated through financial plan analyses, reflect an overall 4 percent increase to the water rates relative to the current rates. The rates include a modest increase in the monthly service charge for the smallest meter size, with larger increases for larger meter sizes. This change is consistent with the allocation of capacity-related costs across meter sizes in relationship to the capacity of the meters. Changes are also recommended for the single family tier rate structure. It is recommended that the first and second tier break points be reduced slightly, and that the tier steps be adjusted slightly. In particular, a larger step increase is recommended from the third to the fourth tier. Reasons and justifications for these changes are described in Section III of this report. The proposed water rate structure changes are modest. Customer bill increases may be slightly smaller or slightly larger than the overall rate change of 4 percent as a result of the rate structure changes. Most residential customers will have slightly smaller increases in water bills relative to the overall rate adjustment. Exhibit 111-8, near the end of Section III includes a table showing the impact of proposed water rates on representative monthly water bills. Wastewater Rates Current single family and multi-family residential wastewater rates include a fixed service charge for each dwelling unit, plus a usage charge based on each customer's winter water use. This practice ensures that summer sewer rates more accurately reflect waste produced by not including irrigation use volumes. Non-residential wastewater rates include a fixed service charge, plus a usage charge based on actual water usage. Non-residential wastewater rates also differentiate customers into low, medium, and high strength categories to reflect the requirements of treatment. Large industrial customers pay a fixed service charge plus a usage charge based on actual measured sewer flow and loading based on biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) and total suspended solids(TSS). Proposed wastewater rates reflect the cost of providing service and are based on the annual revenue needs for 2012. The proposed 2012 wastewater rates reflect an overall 5 percent increase relative to the current (2011) wastewater rates. As with the water rates, because of rate structure changes the percentage change to individual wastewater bills may vary. Some bill increases will be smaller than the overall 5 percent, and others will be larger. Proposed wastewater rates are presented in Exhibit 1-2. THE REED GROUP, INC. PAGE8 WATER AND WASTEWATER CITY OF PETALUMA FINANCIAL PLAN AND RATE STUDY Exhibit I-1 City of Petaluma -- Water Resources and Conservation Current and Proposed Water Rates (1) Current Proposed Water Rates Water Rates (Jan. 2011) (Jan. 2012) Monthly Service Charges Up to 3/4" meter $ 5.69 $ 6.66 1" meter (resid.) $ 6.84 $ 9.70 1" meter $ 7.07 $ 9.70 1 1/2" meter $ 12.40 $ 17.25 2" meter $ 19.46 $ 26.35 3" meter $ 40.19 $ 47.59 4" meter $ 54.13 $ 77.92 6" meter $ 78.19 $ 153.70 Water Usage Charge ($/hcf) Single Family (3) Tier 1 $ 2.94 $ 2.91 Tier2 $ 3.41 $ 3.49 Tier 3 $ 4.35 $ 4.36 Tier 4 $ 4.82 $ 5.66 Other Customers (4) All water usage $ 3.14 $ 3.24 Notes: (1) Effective January 1 of each year. (2) Proposed rates include rate restructuring as well as an overall 4 percent revenue increase over the current rates. (3) Monthly her allocations: Current Proposed Tier 1 0-9 hcf/mo. 0-8 hcf/mo. Tier 2 10-18 hcf/mo. 9-16 hcf/mo. Tier 3 19-24 hcf/mo. 17-24 hcf/mo. Tier 4 >24 hcf/mo. >24 hcf/mo. (4) Includes multi-family, commercial, institutional, industrial, and irrigation irrigation accounts. Excludes recycled water accounts. Wastewater rate calculations are based on estimated wastewater flows from each customer class, as well as wastewater strength characteristics for BOD and TSS. Under the current rate structure, all customers(residential dwelling units and non-residential and industrial customers) pay the same fixed service charge ($16.19 per month in 2011). About 24 percent of the annual wastewater rate revenue is generated through this charge. This service charge approach does not reflect the fact that different customers can place very different demands on the wastewater system. Improved rate equity would be achieved if service charges reflect the capacity associated with the service provided to customers. This change is strongly recommended. The proposed wastewater rates include establishing the fixed service charge based on the size of the water meter (similar to water rates) for non-residential customers. All single family residential customers would pay the same fixed service charge, and multi-family dwelling units would pay a slightly lower service charge (multi-family wastewater flows on average are less than single family). Fixed service charges are also proposed for large industrial customers based on capacity of wastewater flow meters. Wastewater usage rates reflect the estimated equitable allocation of costs to customers with different loading characteristics. THE REED GROUP, INC. PAGE 9 WATER AND WASTEWATER CITY OF PETALUMA FINANCIAL PLAN AND RATE STUDY Exhibit 1-2 City of Petaluma -- Water Resources and Conservation Current and Proposed Wastewater Rates (1) Current Proposed Wastewater Wastewater Rates Rates (Jan. 2011) (Jan. 2012) Monthly Service Charge Single Family Residential $ 16.19 $ 17.15 Unmetered $ 78.57 $ 79.55 Multi-Family Resid. (per DU) $ 16.19 $ 14.94 Non-Residential Up to 3/4" meter $ 16.19 $ 17.15 1" meter $ 16.19 $ 25.88 1 1/2" meter $ 16.19 $ 47.52 2" meter $ 16.19 $ 73.59 3" meter $ 16.19 $ 134.47 4" meter $ 16.19 $ 221.41 6" meter $ 16.19 $ 438.57 Metered Industrial 2" Ultrasonic Meter $ 16.19 $ 199.64 10" Ultrasonic Meter $ 16.19 $ 438.61 2" Magnetic Meter $ 16.19 $ 134.47 3" Magnetic Meter $ 16.19 $ 286.54 4" Magnetic Meter $ 16.19 $ 438.61 6" Magnetic Meter $ 16.19 $ 1,090.36 Wastewater Usage Charge (Strict) Single Family Residential $ 7.67 $ 7.78 Multi-Family Residential (per DU) $ 7.67 $ 7.78 Non-Residential Low Strength $ 7.64 $ 7.62 Medium Strength $ 9.09 $ 9.35 High Strength $ 11.76 $ 12.16 Metered Industrial (2) Flow ($/hcf) $ 5.69 $ 6.06 BOD ($/lb) $ 0.56 $ 0.58 TSS ($/lb) $ 0.60 $ 0.67 Notes: (1) Effective January 1 of each year. (2) Includes customers for which wastewater flows are sampled and tested to determine appropriate charges. (3) Proposed rates include rate restructuring as well as an overall 5 percent revenue increase over the current rates. Under the proposed wastewater rates most single family customers will have smaller wastewater bill increases relative to the overall 5 percent increase needed for 2012. Most multi-family customers will have lower wastewater bills under proposed rates for January 2012, relative to current wastewater rates. Many non-residential customers will also have smaller bill increases (relative to the overall 5 percent increase) although some (particularly those with large water meters) could have larger bill increases with the proposed rates. The City's.industrial customers would also bear an increased share of utility costs under the proposed rates. This increase is THE REED GROUP, INC. PAGE 10 WATER AND WASTEWATER CITY OF PETALUMA FINANCIAL PLAN AND RATE STUDY consistent with cost of service requirements. In all cases, the proposed wastewater rates are justified based on cost of service principles, as described in Section IV. Wastewater rate calculations are presented in Section IV of this report. Exhibit IV-7, near the end of Section IV, illustrates the impact of proposed wastewater rates on representative monthly bills. Adopting Proposed Water and Wastewater Rates It is recommended that the City adopt new water and wastewater rates in accordance with legal requirements by conducting a public hearing process to: (1) increase the overall level of the water rates by 4 percent and restructure the water rates as shown in Exhibit I-1, (2) increase the overall level of the wastewater rates by 5 percent and restructure the wastewater rates as shown in Exhibit 1-2, (3) adopt the mechanism for automatically adjusting water usage rates to reflect any changes in wholesale water costs from SCWA, (4) adopt the mechanism for automatically adjusting water rates each January to reflect the changes in the San Francisco CPI, and (5)adopt the mechanism for automatically adjusting wastewater rates each January to reflect the changes in the San Francisco CPI, plus 1.5 percent, subject to a 2.0 percent minimum. Inflationary and automatic adjustment mechanisms can be approved for up to five years and then need to be re-adopted by the City Council. A comprehensive review of the financial condition of each utility as well as the need for further rate adjustments is also recommended by the end of the five-year planning period covered herein, or sooner if significant changes occur to capital improvement plans or other aspects of utility operations. THE REED GROUP, INC. PAGE 11 WATER AND WASTEWATER CITY OF PETALUMA FINANCIAL PLAN AND RATE STUDY 11 Five-Yearf,FinancialrPlans ' This section of the report describes the five-year financial plans developed for the City's water and wastewater utilities. The financial plans reflect the City's current operation and maintenance costs, debt service obligations, and capital improvement plans, as well as various sources of revenues and the reserves maintained by the City for various purposes. The financial plans are intended to serve as planning and.management tools and enable the City to take a multi-year look at its financial needs. In order of priority, these needs include funding of ongoing operation and maintenance, meeting debt service obligations (including debt service coverage requirements), maintaining prudent financial reserves, and supporting each utility's current capital improvement program. The financial planning models also provide a means to examine ways to minimize utility rate increases, while still meeting financial objectives. Financial plan models are based on information provided by the City and assumptions reviewed with City staff. Efforts have been made to make the analyses as complete and accurate as possible. However, the City's utilities operate in a dynamic environment in which economic conditions, customer demands, external costs, and other factors are outside of the City's direct control. Future conditions and events cannot be known at this time. The financial plan models are intended to help shape and inform decisions to be made by the City. They are not a prediction of the future. Fund/Reserve Structure and Cash Flows The financial plan is a multi-year cash flow model. As a cash flow model, it differs from financial accounting income statements and balance sheets. The financial plan models the sources and uses of funds into and out of the various funds and reserves of the City's utilities. The water and wastewater utilities are each independent enterprises operated by the City's Water Resources and Conservation (WRC) division. As enterprises, each utility has an independent set of financial accounts contained within the Water Fund and the Wastewater Fund, respectively. Based on discussions with WRC and Finance staff near the outset of the study, it was decided that the water and wastewater financial plan models should reflect both an operating fund and a capital fund. Also, near the outset of the study it was determined to be necessary to create a rate stabilization fund within the wastewater utility, as authorized in bond documents, to help meet debt service coverage requirements. Each of these funds is described below, as well as the benefits realized from having this fund structure. The proposed fund structure is common among municipal utilities and provides a useful means of separately assessing operational and capital needs, as well as the sources of funding for each. In addition, this fund structure also provides greater transparency of the financial condition, as well as the relationship between various types of revenues and utility costs. Exhibit II-1, on the following page, schematically illustrates the fund and reserve structure used for financial planning and analysis purposes, as well as the major revenue inflows and expenditure outflows. An understanding of the fund/reserve structure is helpful in understanding the financial plan exhibits that model the flow of funds through each utility from one year to the next. Each of the funds and reserves is described below. THE REED GROUP, INC. PAGE 12 City of Petaluma--Water Resources and Conservation Schematic Diagram of Water and Wastewater Fund Structure and Major Cash Flows _ Ra_teStabiliiation:' Fundi(1) User Rates O&M Costs OPERATING FUND Operating Reserve • Other Revenues Debt Service LP8dtY Fees • Capital Fund ■ Capital Projects Ellisi.Creek,WRF.° Debt/Grant ,�- Proceeds rCapitalReserve° 'Fund:(2)a Notes: (1) Available to both utilities,but currently only used by the wastewater utility. (2) Applies to the wastewater utility only. • Operating Funds — The operating fund is the primary fund for each utility. Most water or wastewater revenues, including user rates and other service revenues, flow into this fund. All operating and maintenance expenditures, including administrative costs and debt service payments, are paid out of the operating fund. o Operating Reserves—The primary purposes of an operating reserve is to provide working capital sufficient to pay expenses as needed and to provide for unanticipated or emergency expenditures that could not be reasonably foreseen. The financial plan maintains minimum operating reserves throughout the 5-year planning period. Operating reserves equal to from 10 percent to 50 percent of annual operating expenses is common within the water and wastewater industry. While maintaining a 50 percent operating reserve may be an appropriate long- term objective it is not likely possible in the near-term for either utility without additional rate increases. This issue is discussed more specifically with each utility later in this section, with a 25 percent minimum operating reserve recommended for the near term. For perspective, in FY 11-12 a 25 percent operating reserve is $2.66 million for the water utility and $2.71 million for the wastewater utility. o Available Fund Balance — The balance in the operating funds in excess of the operating reserve is shown in the financial plan model as the available fund balance. When the total fund balance exceeds the target reserve amount the available balance is positive. If the fund balance dips below the desired minimum reserve the available balance is negative. This is a convenient way to monitor the status of the operating fund over the planning period as various scenario analyses are performed. • Capital Fund — The capital fund is used to track.capital program expenditures, as well as the monies available for capital projects. Capacity fee revenue related to new THE REED GROUP, INC. PAGE 13 WATER AND WASTEWATER CITY OF PETALUMA FINANCIAL PLAN AND RATE STUDY development is reflected in the capital fund. Grant or debt proceeds obtained for capital projects are also shown in the capital fund, as is the $12.774 million estimated final reimbursement of costs under the SRF loan. In addition, the fund is supported through annual transfers from the operating fund. Capital projects for each utility serve a variety of purposes including rehabilitation and replacement, upgrade to improve service levels or comply with regulatory requirements, and expansion to add capacity for new development. While capacity fees are intended to pay the cost of capacity expansion, water and wastewater rates should support the costs of rehabilitating and upgrading utility systems. Contributions to the capital program from user rates are reflected in the financial plan models as annual transfers from the operating to capital funds. At times, the City requires developers to construct and then dedicate project-specific needed infrastructure to the City. Those system additions are not reflected in this analysis. Because capital funds are not currently included in the City's financial structure, balances at the beginning of FY 11-12 reflect an initial segregation of the cash (net spendable assets) within each utility between the operating and capital funds. Subsequent annual transfers from operating funds are scheduled such that capital expenditure needs are met while also maintaining a positive balance in the capital funds. • Rate Stabilization Fund (wastewater)—The rate stabilization fund is a mechanism allowed by the debt covenants to assist in meeting debt service coverage obligations associated with long-term debt. The specific obligations for debt service coverage are described later in this section. In general, however, any money used from the rate stabilization fund can be counted as revenue for the purpose of debt service coverage calculations. In 2010, anticipating the requirements of meeting the debt service coverage obligation, the City established a rate stabilization fund for the wastewater utility and deposited $3.5 million into it. The financial plan model uses a portion of the money from the rate stabilization fund to help meet the debt service coverage requirements during the planning period. A rate stabilization fund is not needed in the water utility. • Ellis Creek WRF Capital Reserve Fund (wastewater) — The Ellis Creek WRF capital reserve fund has been established pursuant to SRF loan requirements. The City is required to contribute funds to_build the CRF at a minimum rate of 0.5 percent of the SRF loan amount each year for ten years. Interest earning on monies in the CRF are to remain in the fund. The wastewater financial plan includes annual transfers from the wastewater operating fund to the ECWRF CRF in compliance with this requirement. Financial Plan Assumptions The five-year financial plans reflect a number of assumptions generally common to both utilities. The financial plans were developed based on the City's FY 11-12 draft budget, existing long-term debt obligations and debt service schedules as reflected in official statements and related documents, and the current five-year capital improvement plans (CIP) for each utility. All assumptions were reviewed with or were provided by City staff, and are believed reasonable for the time period covered. As noted below, certain assumptions have been modified from the draft study report prepared in 2010. General Assumptions A number of general assumptions are reflected in the financial plans, including inflation rates, interest rates, customer growth rates, water demand estimates, etc. Primary assumptions are described below, and also shown in Exhibit 11-2. • Inflation and Interest Rates—The financial plan model includes the following assumptions for annual inflation and interest: THE REED GROUP, INC. PAGE 14 WATER AND WASTEWATER CITY OF PETALUMA FINANCIAL PLAN AND RATE STUDY Exhibit 11-2 City of Petaluma --Water Resources and Conservation Water and Wastewater Financial Plan Assumptions FY 10-11 FY 11-12 FY 12-13 FY 13-14 FY 14-15 FY 15-16 Financial Assumptions General Inflation Rate 2.4% 3.0% 3.0% 3.0% 3.0% Chemical& Utility Inf. Rate 5.0% 5.0% 5.0% 5.0% 5.0% SCWA Rate Increase 6.0% 6.0% 6.0% 6.0% Construction Inflation Rate 3.0% 3.0% 3.0% 3.0% 3.0% Interest Earnings 0.5% 1.0% 1.0% 1.5% 1.5% Target Operating Reserve Water Utility 25% of annual operating expenses,excluding DS and capital fund transfers Wastewater Utility 25% of annual operating expenses,excluding DS-and capital fund transfers Customer and Water Usage Assumptions No.of Water Accounts 19,286 19,301 19,326 19,376 19,426 19,501 No.of Water Equiv. Mtrs. 24,591 24,606 24,631 24,681 24,731 24,806 Annual Water Sales(hcf) 3,206,000 3,208,000 3,211,000 3,218,000 3,225,000 3,235,000 Annual Water Sales(AF) 7,360 7,365 7,371 7,388 7,404 7,427 Water Usage Factor 0.0% 0.00/0 0-.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% Customer Growth Rate 0.0% 0.1% 0.1% 0.2% 0.2% 0.3% New Customers (Eq. Mtrs) 15 25 50 50 75 75 No.of Wastewater Accounts 18,337 18,352 18,377 18,427 18,477 18,552 No.of Wastewater ESFDs 24,633 24,648 24,673 24,723 24;773 24,848 Customer Growth Rate 0.0% 0.1% 0.1% 0.2% 0.2% 0.3% No. New Customers(EDUs) 15 25 50 50 75 75 Water Supply Costs SCWA Water Purchases 7,158' 7,285 7,532 7,789 8,047 8,072 Groundwater Pumping 845 720 481 241 - - Annual Production(AF) 8,003 8,005 8,012 8,030 8,047 8,072 %Supply from SCWA 89% 91% 94% 97% 100% 100% %Unacct.for Losses 8.0% 8% 8% 8% 8% 8% SCWA Water Rate($/AF) $ 604 $ 634 $ 672 $ 712 $ 755 $ 800 GW Pumping Cost($/AF) $ 150 $ 158 $ 166 $ 174 $ 183 $ 192 SCWA Water Purch. Cost $ 4,323,000 $ 4,619,000 $ 5,061,000 $ 5,546,000 $ 6,076,000 $ 6,458,000 GW Pumping Cost $ 127,000 $ 114,000 $ 80,000 $ 42,000 $ - $ Total Supply Cost $ 4,450,000 $ 4,733,000 $ 5,141,000 $ 5,588,000 $ 6,076,000 $ 6,458,000 Capacity Charges Water Capacity Charge $ 12,521 $ 12,897 $ 13,284 $ 13,682 $ 14,092 Water Capacity Charge Rev $ 313,000 $ 645,000 $ 664,000 $ 1,026,000 $ 1,057,000 56.3% <--Portion of water capacity fee related to recycled water projects and transferred to wastewater capital fund for this purpose. Wastewater Capacity Charge $ 8,705 $ 8,966 $ 9,235 $ 9,512 $ 9,798 WW Capacity Charge Rev $ 218,000 $ 448,000 $ 462,000 $ 713,000 $ 735,000 67.5% <- Portion of wastewater capacity fee related to Ellis Creek WRF and used to help make SRF loan payments. o The financial plan assumes that general inflation will be 3.0 percent in FY 11-12 and in each year of the 5-year planning period. This general inflation rate applies to all operating cost items, unless otherwise noted (such as wholesale water rate increases set by SCWA). Actual inflation was 2.4 percent based on the change in the San Francisco CPI from June 2010 through June 2011. This is slightly higher than the 2.0 percent assumed in the 2010 study. • o Inflation on utility and chemical costs is assumed to be 5.0 percent per year due to conditions present in the petroleum, energy, and electric industries. THE REED GROUP, INC. PAGE 15 WATER AND WASTEWATER CITY OF PETALUMA FINANCIAL PLAN AND RATE STUDY o In FY 11-12 the SCWA increased the rate the City pays for wholesale water purchases by 5 percent, increasing the water utility's operating costs by over $200,000 annually. Prior year increases had ranged from 7 to 10 percent. The financial plan model assumes annual SCWA rate increases of 6 percent per year during the planning period. o Construction inflation is assumed to be 3.0 percent per year and applies to capital projects contained in the City's 5-year capital improvement program. The 3 percent inflation rate is the 20-year average increase in the 20-cities construction cost index tracked by the Engineering News Record. o Interest on general cash balances is assumed to be 0.5 percent in FY 11-12, then 1.0 percent in FY 12-13 and FY 13-14, and then 1.5 percent in FY 14-15 and FY 15-16. This interest rate applies to the average of the beginning and ending balance of each fund and accrues to each fund. These estimates are also lower than used in the 2010, and reflect the continued downward pressure on interest rates, as well as the slow pace of economic recovery. • Current Customer Base — The City currently has about 19,300 water accounts and about 18,300 wastewater accounts. The City also provides wastewater treatment services to slightly more than 500 equivalent single family dwellings in Penngrove. Customer account and water use data was obtained from the City's utility billing system. Customer account, water use, and estimated wastewater flow data are presented in greater detail in Sections III and IV of this report. • Growth Projections — The financial plans conservatively assume annual growth of 0.1 percent (equivalent to about 25 homes) in FY 11-12, 0.2 percent (equivalent to about 50 homes)in FY 12-13 and FY 13-14,and then 0.3 percent(equivalent to about 75 homes)in FY 14-15 and FY 15-16. These assumptions are somewhat lower than used in the 2010 and reflect the continued slowdown in the economy, as well as an anticipated slow recovery. Actual growth will be a function of economic conditions, the City's development policies, and the status of new projects within the development pipeline. While the growth assumption is low it is reasonable given the current economic climate. It is also a conservative assumption for financial planning purposes. • Customer Water and Wastewater Demand—Water demand, as well as wastewater flows, have been reduced in recent years due to the effects of the current economy, weather conditions, and water conservation awareness and efforts. Reduced demands have had an adverse impact on revenues. Statewide policies are increasing the emphasis on water conservation and efficient water use as well. Detailed water and wastewater usage data were obtained from the utility billing system. While water and wastewater demands declined in FY 10-11,they appear to be rebounding in FY 11-12. Vacancies in homes and businesses have also contributed to reduced system demands in recent years. While new connections will be added to the water and wastewater systems and vacant homes will be filled as the economy recovers, no increases in water or wastewater demands, on a per account basis, are included in the financial plan analyses presented herein. This is a reasonable assumption given the relatively short (5-year) planning period. Actual demands may fluctuate up and down due to changing conditions. • Capacity Fees and Fee Revenue —Current capacity fee schedules for both the water and wastewater utilities are reflected in financial plan analyses. Each year, the City adjusted capacity fees based on changes in construction inflation, even when the change is downward. Capacity fee revenue is based on both the amount of the capacity fees, as well as the amount of assumed new development. It is assumed that the amount of the water and wastewater capacity fees will continue to be adjusted annually to reflect change in construction inflation. THE.REED GROUP, INC. PAGE 16 WATER AND WASTEWATER CITY OF PETALUMA FINANCIAL PLAN AND RATE STUDY The City conducted a capacity fee study for the water and wastewater utilities in 2008. That study indicates that approximately 56 percent of the water capacity fee is associated with the cost of constructing recycled water facilities (water supply component of the fee) to meet long term potable demand. Because recycled water projects are funded out of the wastewater utility, 56 percent of water capacity fee revenue is transferred from the water capital fund to the wastewater capital fund for this purpose. The 2008 capacity fee study also indicates that approximately 67.5 percent of the wastewater capacity fee is associated with the cost of the Ellis Creek WRF. As a result, it is appropriate to direct this portion of wastewater capacity fee revenue to repayment of the SRF loan and the 2011 wastewater revenue refunding bonds. The financial plan model shows wastewater capacity fee revenue accruing to the wastewater capital fund, and then 67.5 percent of annual revenue is transferred to the wastewater operating fund to help cover the cost of annual debt service. The City is currently reviewing the existing water and wastewater capacity fees, and changes may be forthcoming. However, this study does not reflect these potential changes, as they are still in the development stage. Any changes to the capacity fees could have an impact on the water and wastewater financial plans. However, such changes would not likely impact water and wastewater rate recommendations, as these two revenues serve different purposes. • Water Supplies—The City receives the majority of its water supply from the SCWA. This supply is also supplemented with groundwater pumped from the City's wells. Due to recent diversion limitations the City has increased the utilization of groundwater such that in FY 10-11 about 11 percent of the water supply was from groundwater. Increasing the use of groundwater also helped the City offset the higher costs of water purchases resulting from increases in SCWA water rates (groundwater is considerably less expensive to produce than purchasing SCWA water). Based on direction from City staff and in compliance with adopted General Plan policies, the financial plan assumes that the City will reduce its groundwater usage within five years, relying 100 percent on SCWA water by FY 14-15. The City may rely on groundwater at times, however, for emergency use and to maintain the integrity and reliability of the well system. • Water System Losses—The financial plan assumes a water system loss rate of 8 percent in future years. This is within a normal range for water utilities and is consistent with the City's 2010 Urban Water Management Plan. System losses include uses for fire protection, main flushing, sewer cleaning, bill adjustments, and other non-billed uses, as well as loss from leaks and meter inaccuracies. Increased monitoring and leak detection, including assistance from the Petaluma Police Department to limit theft from'hydrants is intended to maintain or reduce this loss rate. • Storm Drainage Costs — The City included storm drainage operating and maintenance costs in the wastewater utility (about $872,270 in the FY 11-12 draft budget) due to the benefit received from preventing storm (flood) waters from entering the wastewater collection system and treatment facilities. Separately, SCWA is funding Zone 2A (Petaluma Watershed storm drainage system) operation and maintenance services at $875,500 and has allocated $1,593,000 for identified projects in the Petaluma Watershed. However, since that time, City staff has taken a closer look at storm drainage costs, and the extent to which particular costs may be accurately characterized as wastewater enterprise costs. This has resulted in a reduction in the amount budgeted in the wastewater utility from $872,270 to $290,000. The City plans to temporarily cover the difference in costs ($582,270)with a loan from the Storm Drainage Impact Fee Fund. The THE REED GROUP,INC. PAGE 17 WATER AND WASTEWATER CITY OF PETALUMA FINANCIAL PLAN AND RATE STUDY City also plans to initiate efforts to create a new mechanism for the funding of storm drainage costs, and that mechanism is anticipated to repay the loan, as well as support ongoing costs of storm drainage operations. For now, the $290,000 cost of preventing stormwater from entering the wastewater collection and treatment system is assumed to continue as an annual cost (adjusted annually for inflation). Capital Improvement Plans The City's current 5-year capital improvement plans for the water and wastewater utilities are reflected in the financial plans. This includes recent revisions to defer certain recycled water projects. Individual projects, project costs, and project timing are summarized in Exhibit 11-3, and are shown in current dollars. Capital improvement projects are funded through a combination of existing available reserves, water and wastewater rate revenues, and water and wastewater capacity fee revenues. The financial plans presented herein include no new borrowing for the purpose of funding capital improvement projects. Planned recycled water projects are anticipated to be funded through the wastewater utility although, as described previously, a portion of water capacity fee revenue is used to help pay for recycled water projects. Capital project costs are carried forward into the financial plan exhibits with the effects of inflation added in such that project costs are shown in those exhibits in future dollars. The demolition of the Hopper Street treatment plant is included in the City's 5-year CIP and shown in Exhibit 11-3. However, the City is exploring various options for the use of the facility/property as well as the costs of demolition or alternative use. Because these issues require further study and exploration, the planned demolition of the Hopper Street wastewater treatment plant has been deferred for financial planning purposes by one year. Costs for this project shown in Exhibit II-8 (wastewater capital fund)through FY 14-15 are for ongoing monitoring, maintenance, and security of the closed facility, but exclude the significant cost of demolition and site remediation. Timely implementation of certain wastewater projects is driven by regulatory agency direction in response to sanitary sewer overflows (SSO's). Future revisions to the capital improvement program, including catching up with deferred capital improvements, may result in different financial requirements for the utilities. Any system rehabilitation needs or mandated improvements (not currently reflected herein) could alter the financial requirements of the utilities over the five-year planning period. Existing Debt Obligations The water and wastewater utilities have three existing debt obligations (primarily wastewater). The financial plan reflects scheduled debt service payments, as well as requirements for debt service coverage. Exhibit 11-4 summarizes annual debt obligations during the planning period. Existing long-term debt obligations of the water utility are summarized as follows: • 2001 Water Revenue Bonds. These revenue bonds had a par value of $10,165,000 when issued. Annual debt service payments are about $660,000 and will continue until 2031. The outstanding balance on the revenue bonds is $7,725,000. The revenue bonds were issued to refund prior certificates of participation and to fund water system improvements. THE REED GROUP, INC. PAGE 18 WATER AND WASTEWATER CITY OF PETALUMA FINANCIAL PLAN AND RATE STUDY Exhibit 11-3 City of Petaluma--Water Resources and Conservation Five-Year Capital Improvement Program($1,000s)(1) 5-Year Total FY 11-12 FY 12-13 FY 13-14 FY 14-15 FY 15-16 Estimate WATER PROJECTS(dollars in$000) 067401201 Well Construction and Repair $ 251 $ 251 067401001 E Wash St(101 to Edith)18"Main Replac $ 2,000 '$ 2,000 067401002 E Wash'St(Edith to Bridge)18"Main Replac $ 1,145 $ 1,045 'S 2,190 067401003 E Wash St North 18"Main Replac $ 21 $ 485 5 506 067401004 Pump Stations Emergency Power $ 19 $ 92 5 111 067500903 Automatic Meter Read-Replacement $ 300 $ 300 $ 300 $ 300 $ 300 S 1,500 067401008 Water Main Replacements-Various S 15 $ 265 $ 265 $ 290 $ 290 S 1,125 067401006 Casa Grande Rd 16"Main Extension S 1,350 S 1,350 000500101 Paula Lane Reservoir $ 2.451 5 2,451 067401005 Petaluma Blvd North 12"Main Extension 5 200 S 200 067501007 Hardin Tank Exterior Recoatino S 340 5 340 TOTAL WATER PROJECTS $ 3,751 $ 2,187 $ 1,915 $ 3,041 $ 1,130 $ 12,024 WASTEWATER PROJECTS(dollars in$000) 000500205 C Street Pump Station Upgrade $ 1,922 '$ 1,922 C00501400 Wilmington Pump Station $ 2.301 $ 2,301 C66401005 Mt View Sewer Replac(Purrington to Pet Blvd 5) $ 1,465 '$ 1,465 066501002 Victoria Pump Station Generator Replacement $ 363 S 363 066401101 Mt View Sewer Main Replac(Halsey to Glendon) $ 390 $ 390 066401103 Digester Loa'out&Washdown Slab $ 120 $ 120 066401107 Ellis Creek Site Access Improvements $ 80 $ 80 C66401201 Pond Influent Pump Station Improvements $ 377 $ 377 000500402 Water Recycleing Facility-Ellis Creek $ 4,600 S 350 S 4.950 066501004 Lift Station Upgrades $ 200 $ 1,635 $ 1,500 $ 3,335 066401002 Sewer Main Replacements-Various $ 315 $ 315 $ 315 $ 315 $ 315 $ 1,575 000500305 Demolition of Hopper Wastewater Treat Facility $ 55 $ 55 $ 55 $ 775 $ 10.939 'S 11,879 066501003 Manhole Rehabilitation $ 345 $ 345 $ 470 $ 470 $ 497 'S 2,127 066401001 Oxidation Pond Levee Reinforcement $ 850 $ 850 TOTAL WASTEWATER PROJECTS $ 12,533 $ 3,550 $ 2,340 $ 1,560 $ 11,751 $ 31,734 RECYCLED WATER PROJECTS(dollars in$000) 066400902 Recycled Water Pump Station Main&1 Improv. $ 840 'S 840 000500505 Phase 2A Recycled Water Pipeline $ 3,142 'S 3,142 000500408 Phase 2B Recycled Water Pipeline&Reservoir $ 419 $ 419 'S 838 C00500508 Phase 3 Reycled Water.Pipeline $ - TOTAL RECYCLED WATER PROJECTS $ 4,401 $ - $ 419 $ - $ - $ 4,820 Notes: (1) From FY 11-12 draft budget,with revisions to recycled water projects as of September 6,2011. Existing long-term debt obligations of the wastewater utility are summarized as follows: • 2005 State Revolving Fund Loan from the State Water Resources Control Board. The City obtained approval for a loan from the State in 2005 for nearly $126 million at an interest rate of 2.4 percent to assist in construction of the Ellis Creek WRF. As of July 15, 2011, the City expects to receive a final disbursement of funds totaling an estimated $12,774,000 to reimburse the wastewater utility for final project costs. This would bring the total principal balance to about$121,334,500. Annual loan payments on this total loan balance are estimated at nearly $8,375,200 with a repayment term extending through 2029. Full principal and interest payments under the SRF loan commenced in April 2010. THE REED GROUP, INC. PAGE 19 WATER AND WASTEWATER CITY OF PETALUMA FINANCIAL PLAN AND RATE STUDY Exhibit 11-4 City of Petaluma--Water Resources and Conservation Water and Wastewater Debt Service Payment Schedules Water Fund(6700) FY 09-10 FY 10-11 FY 11-12 FY 12-13 FY 13-14 FY 14-15 FY 15-16 Series 2001B Principal 260,000 275,000 285,000 295,000 310,000 320.000 335,000 Series 2001B Interest 388,563 378,123 366,923 355,138 342,234 328,214 321,014 Series 2001B Total 648,563 653,123 651,923 650,138 652,234 648,214 656,014 Total Water Debt Service 648,563 653,123 651,923 650,138 652,234 648,214 656,014 Wastewater Fund(6600) 2010B 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 Series 2000 Principal 410,000 Series 2000 Interest 308,374 144,347 Series 2000 Total 718,374 144,347 '(3) CWSRF Loan Principal 4,672,189 4,780.327 5.544,598 5.596,219 5,730,528 5,868,061 6,008,895 CWSRF Loan Interest 2,829,460 2,721,323 2,830,579 2,778,958 2,644,649 2,507,116 2,366,282 CWSRF Total 7,501,649 7,501,650 8,375,177 8,375,177 8.375,177 8,375,177 8,375,177 BNP Paribas Principal(7-1-2010) 6,193,025 BNP Paribas Interest.and Restructure Fees 490,914 BNP Paribas Total 6,683,939 (2)(3) Zions Principal(7-1-2010) 3,735,659 Zions Interest and Restructure Fees _ 542,973 Zions Total 4,278,632 (2)(3) Series 2011 Principal - - - - - - Series 2011 Interest 192,132 1,305,050 1,305,050 1,305,050 1,305,050 1,305,050 Series 2011 Total 192,132 1,305,050 1,305,050 1,305.050 1,305,050 1,305,050 Total WW Debt Service 8,220,023 18,800,700 9,680,227 9,680,227 9,680,227 9,680,227 9,680,227 Notes: (1) Source: Finance Department for debt service payment schedules on existing debt. (2) On July 1,2010 the City repaid principal of$6,193,025 to BNP Paribas and$3,735,659 to Zions Bank from available cash. Periodic interest payments were also made during the year. (3) In February,2011 the City issued wastewater revenue refunding bonds. Bond proceeds were used to pay off the 2000 wastewater bonds and the remaining LOC balances. Payments made from bond proceeds are not reflected in this exhibit. • 2011 Wastewater Revenue Refunding Bonds. Wastewater revenue refunding bonds were issued in February 2011 with a par value of $22,465,000. Proceeds were used primarily to pay off outstanding LOCs that had been required to help fund construction of the Ellis Creek WRF. Bond proceeds were also used to refund the 2000 wastewater bonds. Annual interest-only debt service payments are about $1.31 million and will continue until 2029. Beginning in 2030 principal and interest payments totaling about $4.01 million annually will continue through 2036. This repayment of principal would occur following final repayment of the SRF loans. This repayment schedule more effectively spreads the costs of financing over the life of the facilities, as well as lessens the impact on wastewater rates during the period of SRF loan repayment. Each of the City's long-term debt obligations are subject to debt agreements containing various terms and conditions. Summarized below are some of the key debt covenants contained in the agreements intended to reduce risk to the City's creditors. The 2001 Water Revenue Bonds require the City to maintain charges for the water system during each fiscal year which are sufficient to yield net revenues, excluding capacity fees, at least equal to THE REED GROUP, INC. PAGE 20 WATER AND WASTEWATER CITY OF PETALUMA FINANCIAL PLAN AND RATE STUDY 100 percent of the water enterprise debt service, as well as net revenues including capacity fees at least equal to 125 percent of the water debt service. The 2011 Wastewater Revenue Refunding Bonds require the City to maintain charges for the wastewater system during each fiscal year which are sufficient to yield net revenues, excluding capacity fees, at least equal to 120 percent of the wastewater enterprise debt service. Transfers out of the wastewater rate stabilization fund may be considered as revenue for purposes of determining debt service coverage. The agreement with the State Water Resources Control Board goveming the SRF loan requires the City to maintain a user charge system sufficient to pay the total operation and maintenance costs necessary for the proper operation, maintenance and replacement of treatment works, and requires each recipient of wastewater services to pay its proportionate share of the costs. Other provisions of the SRF loan agreement require the City to set rates sufficient to yield net revenues equal to the debt service of the wastewater enterprise. The agreement also prohibits the City from reducing wastewater service rates, unless the net revenues from such reduced rates will, at all times, be sufficient to meet debt repayment obligations. City finance staff is monitoring market conditions to determine whether it might be advantageous to restructure existing long-term debt. Water System Financial Plan The water system financial plan is an annual cash flow model that reflects beginning balances, revenues and transfers in, expenditures and transfers out, and ending balances for each fund each year of the planning period. The financial plan reflects actual FY 09-10 revenues and expenditures, estimated FY 10-11 revenues and expenditures, and the draft budget for FY 11-12. Future year operating and maintenance expenses are based on the FY 11-12 draft budget, with adjustments for inflation and growth. The water system financial plan model is presented in Exhibit 11-5(operating fund)and Exhibit 11-6 (capital fund). Current Situation The estimated balance (net spendable assets) in the water utility as of June 30, 2011 is approximately $8.86 million. As previously described, the capital fund is proposed as a new fund, with the financial plan model showing the beginning balance for FY 11-12 split between the operating and capital funds. The operating fund is shown to have a balance of about$5.36 million, and the capital fund is shown to have a beginning balance of$3.50 million in order to provide initial funding for planned capital improvements. Fund balances are calculated for the end of each year based on annual revenues, expenditures, and transfers. Water Utility FY 11-12 Beginning Balances Operating Fund $5,360,000 Capital Fund (new in FY 11-12) $3,500,000 Total Water $8,860,000 In January 2011, the City implemented the fifth of five annual 5 percent water rate increases. These rate increases were necessary to cover the increasing costs of operations, including significant cost increases in wholesale water costs from the SCWA, in the face of reduced water demands, and growing maintenance costs of an aging infrastructure system. THE REED GROUP, INC. PAGE 21 WATER AND WASTEWATER CITY OF PETALUMA FINANCIAL PLAN AND RATE STUDY N 0 0 0 0 0 0. 0 0 0 000000 0 0 0 0 0 O N O N O/ N- N 000000 00 O 0 0000 0 000 0 0 6 co 0 co r 6 CO N O 000 00 O p 0 0 0 000 0 ' 000 0 O 0 N O N ' e e M N 01 6 m O r CO r M m Q M N O N OJ co O C 6 Q O N o Q Cl V CO (O N u o co V N O CO C O tJ N r O o, 0) N- r N 0 N Q O c0 0) CO M r r M .- c0 M Q CO O) r Q M r (0 0 M N r O >. 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LL C v w o p '0l E m . c v pC F O y m 0 z m v NV > m c QQ o ro .o H o ))LL n W 01 U C O 0 C N O- 0 O' LL c m d N ✓+ y C c o U O >" , c N 0 0 N O m Cn 2 LL R ' y Z '^ °)-c-., s cn E m I- m m m 2 T N r m v m 3 3 m m Q m UN V � `6W a ° `0 w % mac c 2 (2. . ap ° aoio m u m10m m mE c W v c v a NQ E oTmm ¢ d9 >o iav .boo . 2a2 w mmoo mN o O c m D 0 0 >.cmi v --6 ft E m .P.. Q 2' a E ( 0 t v E S (n m y m m � H U U E y W Q C co Q , c2 V A O_L d f c m C c o0) ow m w w C _d c H O c p p " UO) 0 F or mm m mtm = % 1-6 ow o '� mm (� ° a > dmCC a a t.3 � u. Er 000 Q UU � 3 COI- 001- 0Q. o 2 K W W Z THE REED GROUP, INC. PAGE 22 • WATER AND WASTEWATER CITY OF PETALUMA FINANCIAL PLAN AND RATE STUDY 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 o 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 ' o O ' 0 0 " 0 0 0 0 0 N V n O O r 6 co N 6 N C` a Co to O CO N Cr) N N CO 0 (0 0 ..- M 0 0 0 CO CO N CO N CO CO } r r CV C r N U- 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 N , , , ,0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 ' O 0 ' 0 0 ' O 0 0 0 a_ en N co N LO N " W N- 0 W N 0 0 O CO CO CO N 0 co >- 0i r N C) N C7 r LL O O O O O • 0 0 O O O O 0 0 O O O O O O O O a O 0 0 ' 0 0 •' ' ' ' ' 0 0 0 ' ' ' 0 0 0 N V O U) O ' N V N (4 en if) CO 0 N to r CO CO N 0 C) 0) COO CO CO N V CO d N } r N N N N LL C O 0 00 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 7. (,.) 0 00 0 0 00000 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 ' 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 V o O m a COO 6' o C) C) CO N N N O V O r (O h O m O I� O N N r O) 0 O (O o N CO N en CO p) OO LL r N Ni - co r O a v CD C 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 C 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 N c N 0 O O O 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 O O 0 C r 1 6 C- O of en O N N co" ).0 r N CV a CD j LL r W O O C) N O a N r O N N O LC)rO CO C) O C) N O co O) 0) - O A LL m C) N N N r C) r ▪ A y z o K v .>_ w • LL Z. m 7 E tea! m a o T v CL.. C co u m m c o c p x O -a o m a) N m H C c C .) N C it .% C w O N T a_ m c o `- O O w U C 0 'Ca m w E c w m c co w c o u j x c cc) a IL co c a m , 1-U 'm ._ o G J ` y cc,- N T a Y c 2 0 a U m rn 1- w a .c a.0 c L K m c0 - p c A N N J ❑ CO y c rn c C o -o m m E LL 7 lU 0 0 m co A N W O co N N 0 (O O p a J LL 0 in N LL n 0 c 0 ~ c _ _ = W 0 173 d Z -. 0 'O Q Q Ia O c N O,O` W O C N a' N W > N E N E N N N O N N CO L , (n CO i/) CC 1 t0 E c m. Ca 0 W m co U C y U N O E 10 a0.. a N N to CO' N cL UC J E C O CO CO K ' Z d c c '� o b U m m m a o •m N V -o c 0 p) w (/� y lO N j H y N > 2i = J O c> N N co co ~ c Q v w � � 0 c a wwwtc MULL a I I` z z w w THE REED GROUP; INC. PAGE 23 WATER AND WASTEWATER CITY OF PETALUMA FINANCIAL PLAN AND RATE STUDY The most significant anticipated increases in costs within the water utility are the cost of water purchases from SCWA, and the need to support the capital improvement program with a portion of water rate revenues. Between assumed 6 percent annual increases in the wholesale cost of water and the assumed gradual shift away from using groundwater during the planning period, annual water purchase costs are estimated to increase from about $4.65 million in FY 10-11 to about $6.46 million in FY 15-16. As described in greater detail in Section III of this report,the City has the ability to adopt a mechanism for automatically adjusting water rates to reflect the affects of changes in the cost of wholesale water purchases. This would be a prudent action to help reduce the financial risk within the water utility from unexpected or underfunded increases by Sonoma County Water Agency. At present(FY 11-12), the water utility is estimated to have an operating surplus of about$900,000 after covering operating and maintenance expenses and debt service payments. However, due to an available balance in excess of the 25 percent operating reserve, it is recommended that the City transfer $2.0 million annually from the water operating fund to the capital fund in support of the capital improvement program. As a point of reference, the average planned water capital program expenditure for the next five years is about $2.5 million. The difference between the annual expenditures and the transfer from the operating fund will be met with capacity fee revenues and the initial balance available in the capital fund. In addition to the $3.5 million initial balance in the capital fund, capacity fee revenues accrue to the capital fund. With the assumed growth reflected in the financial planning analysis (see Exhibit 11-2) annual capacity fee revenues accruing to the water capital fund may total about $3.7 million over the five year planning period, with the current capacity fee structure and annual inflationary adjustments. In order to support the water capital improvement program annual transfers to the capital fund are shown to remain steady at $2.0 million per year through the planning period. The capital fund is shown to maintain a positive balance throughout the 5-year planning period, indicating sufficient funding for the planned capital improvement program. In addition, no new debt appears necessary to fully fund planned water system improvements over the next five years. If there are significant changes to the capital improvement program, then higher water rates and/or new long-term debt might be needed to fund the program. Because the water system has relatively little outstanding long-term debt, debt service coverage requirements are easily met and do not impact the need for further water rate increases. An option may exist, if deemed economical, to refinance existing debt within the 5-year period to lower interest rates and costs. City finance staff is currently monitoring market conditions to determine whether such restructuring of debt would be beneficial. Water System Operating Reserves Municipal water and wastewater utilities generally maintain operating reserves equal to from 10 to 50 percent of annual operating costs. The water system financial plan maintains the operating fund at or above the target 25 percent operating reserve throughout the planning period. This can be accomplished with water rates adjusted to match changes in the cost of SCWA water purchases, as well as a modest annual rate adjustment equal to the rate of general inflation. Given the nature of the City's water system (primarily distribution of treated water purchased from SCWA, with limited groundwater usage), a 25 percent operating reserve should be sufficient for working capital and emergency purposes, particularly if mechanisms for adjusting water rates for THE REED GROUP, INC. PAGE 24 WATER AND WASTEWATER CITY OF PETALUMA FINANCIAL PLAN AND RATE STUDY changes in SCWA costs and for general inflation are implemented, as well as a positive balance is maintained in the capital fund. Water System Conclusions and Recommendations The water utility appears financially stable. Current water rates and other revenues are sufficient to meet current operating costs and debt service obligations, and contribute to the ongoing pay-as- you-go capital improvement program. A moderate rate adjustment is proposed for 2012 to ensure continued adequate funding for the utility. As noted previously, any change to the capital improvement program could result in different financial needs, including increased water rates and/or the need for debt financing. Based on the analyses performed, it appears that the most significant financial risk to the water utility is related to the cost of wholesale water purchases from the SCWA (as well as the need to support the capital improvement program). This risk can be reduced by adopting a mechanism for automatic water rate adjustments that would offset the impact of SCWA water rate changes (see Section III for details). However, because this automatic adjustment mechanism is not yet in place, the proposed rate increase for January 2012 must also make up for higher water purchase costs that have been in effect since July 2011, when SCWA last increased their rates. Beyond a rate adjustment in January 2012 to bring rates back in line with costs (including increased funding for the capital improvement program) it appears that indexing of annual water rate increases to the pace of general inflation may be sufficient during the 5-year planning period under review. Because of the current relatively stable status of the water utility, financial plan recommendations are limited to the following: • Increase the overall level of water rates by 4 percent in January 2012 in order to: (1) recover costs associated with increased water purchases costs associated with SCWA's July 2011 rate increase, (2) provide for additional pay-as-you-go funding of the capital improvement program, and (3)help keep rates in line with changes in general inflation. • Adopt a mechanism for automatically adjusting water rates to reflect changes in wholesale water purchase costs from SCWA, as described in Section III of this report. The SCWA historically has adjusted its water rates annually effective in July of each year. Increased revenues from automatic rate adjustments are reflected in the financial plan model based on assumed annual 6 percent SCWA rate increases. The proposed automatic adjustment formula would, however, tailor the amount of the adjustment to the specific action by SCWA. Only the City's water usage rates would be affected by this adjustment (not fixed monthly service charges). As illustrated in Section III of this report, a 6 percent increase in the wholesale cost of water in FY 12-13 would result in a 2.7 percent increase in the City's water usage rates. • Beyond the scheduled 4 percent rate adjustment in January 2012, the City should adopt a mechanism for adjusting water rates annually, beginning in January 2013, to reflect the changes in general inflation using the San Francisco CPI for this purpose. The financial plan assumes general inflation to be 3 percent in future years. Water rate revenue projections reflect annual increases of this magnitude beginning in January 2013. This rate adjustment would apply to the entire water rate structure. • Establish and maintain a capital fund with annual transfers from the operating fund, and capacity fee revenue from new development to pay for planned water infrastructure improvements and recycled water capital projects. THE.REED GROUP, INC. PAGE 25 WATER AND WASTEWATER CITY OF PETALUMA FINANCIAL PLAN AND RATE STUDY • Maintain an operating reserve in the operating fund equal to at least 25 percent of annual operating and maintenance expenses, exclusive of debt service and transfers to the capital fund. In conclusion, the water system appears financially stable. However, anticipated increases in operating and maintenance costs (principally water purchase costs) justify continuing to adjust water rates to reflect inflationary pressures. While the assumptions and information used in the preparation of the water system financial plan are believed to be reasonable, no assurances can be made that actual financial results will be as presented herein. City staff should continue to monitor the financial condition of the water utility, as well as changes in water demands and related rate revenues,to ensure that the utility continues on a sound financial course. Wastewater System Financial Plan The wastewater system financial plan is an annual cash flow model that reflects beginning balances, revenues and transfers in, expenditures and transfers out, and ending balances for each fund each year of the planning period. The financial plan reflects actual FY 09-10 revenues and expenditures, estimated FY 10-11 revenue and expenditures, and the draft budget for FY 11-12. Future year operating and maintenance expenses are based on the FY 11-12 draft budget with adjustments for inflation and growth. The wastewater system financial plan model is presented in Exhibit II-7 (operating fund)and Exhibit II-8 (capital fund). Current Situation The estimated working balance (net spendable assets) in the wastewater utility as of June 30, 2011 is approximately $10.04 million. As the capital fund is a new fund, the financial plan model shows the beginning balance of$0 for FY 11-12. However, the City anticipates receiving $12.774 million from the state as a final disbursement under the SRF loan and the final reimbursement of costs, and that amount is shown coming into the capital fund in FY 11-12 to be used for capital projects. The ECWRF CRF is also a new fund for FY 11-12 with a $0 beginning balance. Annual transfers into the ECWRF CRF beginning in FY 11-12. In addition, the City established a rate stabilization fund for the purposes of assisting in meeting debt service coverage obligations. The rate stabilization fund had a June 30, 2011 balance of$3.5 million. Fund balances are calculated for the end of each year based on annual revenues,expenditures, and transfers. Wastewater Utility FY 11-12 Beginning Balances Operating Fund $10,040,000 Capital Fund (new in FY 11-12) $0 Ellis Creek WRF CRF (new in FY 11-12) $0 Rate Stabilization Fund $3,500,000 Total Wastewater $13,540,000 Operating costs for the new Ellis Creek WRF are lower than originally projected. Part of the reason is that the City was able to purchase power and chemicals through group purchase agreements. As a result of lower costs On treatment operations and elsewhere), in January 2011 the City implemented a 9 percent wastewater rate increase. This was a reduction from a previously approved increase of 13 percent. THE REED GROUP, INC. 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'.mac v �' O mN m IA To °,O E - o � O - ED LL m C Wa W m cU `) LU ad w I. c C E E E a m 0 oo >v (Su if A a1 U 3 c c a O Q /=ra m a) p 0) m ,� E)O It c 1:, o E E P N ,0 Z w N O) K N E U m c w N m m -3 d K a D m w D d y 'E E E i m Q E v w C ..VJ m C) .(0 0) c)) 0 w m a C m m m N r n C m `m a>1 LL w W o o i °' o LL c c o - 'c ° .Z _ .Z ._ 0 0 0 o w q m m > 'c a N N N O C U) N O O N -� N O d 0 C N 0 •at 13 W c a m e3i m ` 0 tY d - m oci :°. '.' m a`r « w o E G E E w (n N 0 v) m `v°'i y `vmi to CI r °U m x LU a c m m .0 0 a w n m m m `. F 0 1 S 0 m °= u w O L 0 norm a C C C F t v n p a CO W (/1 v a) m _ m v a 00) o w o mm m a > d m33 0- 0000EI- H ¢3 � 0It OH 0000 OHHH • oa d '7N • 2 CC w w Z THE REED GROUP, INC. 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E w -o m a m v a u 'o .� v Ua m CO O. aU o0 w ° 3 ma a) a 0.) CL d aKZ al ca' m m W i WATER AND WASTEWATER CITY OF PETALUMA FINANCIAL PLAN AND RATE STUDY o o 0 0 0 o O o 0.0 0 0 0 0 m Cr) o c CO 0 • 0 c.i o .4 v n o 0 LA 0 in a 0) N o O co co co n Y cUi ri N N LL o O O O O 0 O N o O O 0 O O co .- N O in in r) 0 O 4 n O N n CO (0 0 0 o co co to >- N N N a. o O O O o o O V O O O V 0 O N O r O r 0 O ch co co m _ r N N LL C O o O O O O o O O o O O O O O o O O O M co o W N. O O O O 0 CO r o m of r 6 0 o O. N 10 0 W 0 0 co 0) itoo 0a a — N } r N N C 0- LL O — U m -0 c 0 C N 0 0 0 0 0 0 O 0 ? N C_ N_ O 0 CO ' (0 O ' o o O C d — Ch 6.4 to N O' O 6 O O q r U Co co Co ° 00 00 v0) 0 O y LL co (4 N N N 0 > 0 LL = W T r o O 0 « co _O o 9 O` 0 O O 03 E con eon W N 0 LL w ETo To 0 W O O O R 0 — o o • o TO 0 O .5 LO 0 •N rT. T Q <6 •1 rl U u. ❑ Z 0 LL W > � o W y, CO U LL w `O CC ➢ N C FJ o M ❑CO 7 E LL U Z LL C 2 0 0) C ❑ 0) LL ■ C C N j V C S. U y, ' N i O C c 0 0 y ry N N w 0 N d - C y d 1- U a .dr 0 4 L O C C co `y 0 Q C O N D_ N 0 u c u N m C c Y 0 c O w ❑ o 2 C J 0 O 0 5 O C C w C) 0 — w C: O 1- m C7 c 4- F O 1- =° K C m m m n H m w m Fa-. c ` m m ` N m. m () 'E C c P rO ,?..) 20 mu) C t O ` 2 ~O C VC d 0 f C ~ C w G N i ' N 2 JF F F- C F 0 th O q c w Cl 1Z w W CO 1- )= W THE REED GROUP, INC. PAGE 29 WATER AND WASTEWATER CITY OF PETALUMA FINANCIAL PLAN AND RATE STUDY The financial situation in the wastewater utility in FY 09-10 and FY 10-11 was complicated by the repayment of LOCs. Nearly $10 million dollars of the beginning fund balance in FY 10-11 was used to make initial repayment of LOCs on July 1, 2010. Then in February 2011, the City repaid the remaining $14.75 million principal balance owed to LOC banks using proceeds from the 2011 wastewater revenue refunding bonds. The information on the wastewater operating fund for FY 10-11 in Exhibit 11-7 does not reflect the pay-off of LOCs as they were made directly with debt proceeds. Exhibit 11-7 does reflect all operating activities and other debt service obligations of the utility. The City is required to maintain certain debt service coverage levels as part of its debt obligations. In FY 09-10, the City established and funded a rate stabilization fund with $3.5 million. The financial plan shows a portion of the rate stabilization fund being used during the next two years to help make debt service payments and to provide the required level of coverage. After considering the above financing activities, as well as ongoing operation and maintenance costs and annual debt service obligations, the wastewater operating fund is estimated to have available about a $2.5 million in FY 11-12 to transfer to the capital fund. In subsequent years, the available balance continues to support the transfers to the capital fund. The financial plan indicates $3.25 million transferred in FY 12-13, and $4.0 million transferred in each remaining year of the planning period. As a point of reference, the average planned capital program expenditure for the next five years is about $5.3 million, excluding demolition of the Hopper Street wastewater treatment plant. Annual transfers to the capital fund are intended to help address the long-deferred maintenance of major infrastructure components, such as wastewater pump stations and failing pipelines. As mentioned previously, the City anticipates receiving a final loan disbursement of$12.774 million from the SWRCB as final reimbursement of costs under the SRF loan. In addition, it is estimated that capacity fee revenue may total about$400,000 in FY 11-12 and grow to about$1.35 million by FY 15-16. This includes both wastewater capacity fee revenue, as well as the portion of the water capacity fee revenue (transferred from the water capital fund) related to recycled water projects. Capacity fee revenue estimates are also directly related to assumptions on new development activity (as previously described); actual development activity could be higher or lower than the amount reflected in the analysis. Because a portion of the wastewater capacity fee is related to costs of the Ellis Creek WRF 67.5 percent of wastewater capacity fee revenue is shown transferred from the capital fund to the operating fund in support of annual debt service on the SRF loan. This is an appropriate use of this revenue and consistent with the intended purpose and use of the fee revenue. Between the final SRF loan disbursement, annual transfers from the operating fund, and capacity fee revenues, it is estimated that the wastewater utility will have sufficient funds to cover all currently planned capital program costs for the next five years. The exception is the demolition and site remediation of the Hopper Street wastewater treatment plant. However, as discussed earlier in this section, final decisions regarding that facility require further analysis, and demolition costs have been excluded from the analysis herein. The significant finding, however, is that it appears that the City may not need additional long-term debt financing for currently planned wastewater and recycled water projects for the five-year planning period covered by this study. The deferral if recycled water projects does not have an impact on the need to adjust water rates, as recycled water projects are planned to be funding with capacity fee revenues. The financial plan also reflects annual transfers of$650,000 per year beginning in FY 11-12 from the operating fund to the ECWRF CRF. This transfer meets the requirements of the SRF loan for the Ellis Creek WRF. THE REED GROUP, INC. PAGE 30 WATER AND WASTEWATER CITY OF PETALUMA FINANCIAL PLAN AND RATE STUDY Wastewater System Operating Reserves Municipal water and wastewater utilities often maintain operating reserves equal to from 10 to 50 percent of annual operating costs. The wastewater system financial plan maintains the operating fund at or above the target 25 percent operating reserve throughout the planning period. This can be accomplished with wastewater rates adjusted to match changes in the rate.of general inflation, plus 1.5 percent (subject to a 2.0 percent minimum). Should the wastewater utility recognize higher than anticipated rate revenues as a result of a rebound in usage, the City might find it possible to establish and then maintain a higher operating reserve, or meet debt service coverage obligations without dipping into the rate stabilization fund. Given that neady one-half of the wastewater utility's annual operating expenses are fixed debt service payments, a 25 percent operating reserve should be sufficient for working capital and emergency purposes, particularly if a positive balance is maintained in the capital fund. Wastewater System Conclusions and Recommendations As a result of financing activities,the wastewater utility has simplified and consolidated its long-term debt obligations providing an opportunity for rate stability in the near term. It appears, based on the financial analyses presented herein, that an overall 5 percent increase in wastewater rates in January 2012 is adequate to cover operating costs, meet debt service obligations, contribute towards the capital improvement program, and maintain an operating reserve. The rate increase has been limited, in part, as a result of eliminating storm drainage costs from the wastewater utility budget. Financial plan recommendations for the wastewater utility include the following: • Adjust the wastewater rates in January 2012 to reflect an overall increase of 5 percent to meet the financial obligations of the utility, as well as restructure the rates to better achieve rate setting objectives(rate restructuring is described in Section IV of this report). • Beyond the rate adjustment in January 2012, the City should adopt a plan for adjusting wastewater rates annually, beginning in January 2013, to reflect the changes in general inflation as reflected in the San Francisco CPI plus 1.5 percent, as described in Section IV of this report. This adjustment would be subject to a 2.0 percent minimum. • Establish and maintain a capital fund with money from the final SRF loan disbursement, annual transfers from the operating fund, and capacity fee revenue from new development to pay for planned wastewater infrastructure improvements and recycled water capital projects. • Provide annual funding of the Ellis Creek WRF CRF through annual transfers from the wastewater operating fund. • aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaUse funds from the rate stabilization fund as needed to meet debt service coverage requirements. • Maintain a minimum operating reserve in the operating fund equal to at least 25 percent of annual operating and maintenance expenses, exclusive of debt service. In conclusion, with the proposed rate adjustment for January 2012 the wastewater system would be in a financially stable condition. Thereafter, anticipated increases in operating and maintenance costs as well as continuing debt service obligations and capital program needs warrant continuing THE REED GROUP, INC. PAGE 31 WATER AND WASTEWATER CITY OF PETALUMA FINANCIAL PLAN AND RATE STUDY to adjust wastewater rates annually for up to five years to respond to inflationary pressures. While the assumptions and information used in the preparation of the wastewater system financial plan are believed to be reasonable, no assurances can be made that actual financial results will be as presented herein. City staff should continue to monitor the financial condition of the wastewater utility, as well as changes in wastewater demands and related rate revenues, to ensure that the utility proceeds on a sound financial course. THE REED GROUP, INC. PAGE 32 WATER AND WASTEWATER CITY OF PETALUMA FINANCIAL PLAN AND RATE STUDY 111:waterRates • r x. This section of the report describes and presents recommendations for updating water rates to provide sufficient revenues for the water utility's ongoing operations, debt service obligations, and capital improvement needs. Modification of the water rate structure is also proposed to reflect the costs of providing service, improve equity, and further encourage water conservation and water use efficiency among the City's water customers. The financial plan model presented in Section II reflects revenues and expenses on a fiscal year basis. However, the City has historically adjusted water rates in January of each year. Therefore, rate analyses must consider calendar year revenue needs. An overall water rate increase of 4 percent is proposed for January 2012. The water rates and rate schedule presented in this section are intended to result in an overall increase in revenues, relative to the current rates, of 4 percent. It should be noted, however,that any rate structure change, even in a revenue neutral situation, can cause some customer bills to increase while others decrease. These changes are in the interest of improved equity and improved rate structure performance in relation to rate setting policy objectives(shown on the next page). Existing Water Rates Exhibit III-1, on the following page, summarizes the City's current (2011) water rates. The rate schedules shown in Exhibit III-1, as well as all rate schedules presented in this report, show rates on a monthly basis. Utility billing within the City occurs on a monthly basis with meters currently read bi-monthly until completion of the conversion to Automatic Read Meters (ARM) is achieved. From 2007 through 2011, the City increased water rates by 5 percent each January. Single family residential customers are subject to monthly service charges based on the size of the water meter, as well as a 4-tier water usage rate structure. The tier allocations shown in Exhibit IIl- 1 are shown as monthly amounts. Multi-family, commercial, institutional, industrial, and irrigation accounts are also subject to monthly service charges based on meter size, and a uniform water usage rate for all water usage. Current (FY 09-10) water demands reflect that approximately 87 percent of water rate revenue is generated from water usage charge and about 13 percent from fixed service charges. Water conservation best management practices, as promulgated by the Califomia Urban Water Conservation Council (CUWCC), requires at least 70 percent of revenue to be generated by usage charges. The City exceeds this requirement. Proposed water rates would slightly increase the percentage of revenue coming from fixed service charges. Rate Setting Objectives The development of water rate recommendations has been guided by several rate-setting objectives. These objectives were reviewed with City staff and include: • Rates should generate sufficient revenues to meet the utility's financial obligations related to operations, debt service, capital improvement needs, and maintenance of prudent reserves • Rates should be equitable by reflecting the cost of providing service to each customer class THE REED GROUP, INC. PAGE 33 WATER AND WASTEWATER CITY OF PETALUMA FINANCIAL PLAN AND RATE STUDY Exhibit III-1 City of Petaluma -- Water Resources and Conservation Current Water Rates (1) Current Water Rates (Jan. 2011) Monthly Service Charges Up to 3/4" meter $ 5.69 1" meter (resid.) $ 6.84 1" meter $ 7.07 1 1/2" meter $ 12.40 2" meter $ 19.46 3" meter $ 40.19 4" meter $ 54.13 6" meter •$ 78.19 Water Usage Charge ($/hcf) Single Family Tier 1 (0-9 hcf) $ 2.94 Tier 2 (10-18 hcf) $ 3.41 Tier 3 (19-24 hcf) $ 4.35 Tier 4 (25+ hcf) $ 4.82 Other Customers (2) All water usage $ 3.14 Notes: (1) Effective January 1, 2011. (2) Includes multi-family, commercial, institutional, industrial, and irrigation accounts. Excludes recycled water accounts. • Rates should continue to encourage water conservation and efficient water use • Rates should be held as low as possible,while still meeting financial obligations. These objectives guided the review of and recommendations on water rates and rate structures. Customer Account Data and Water Use Estimates Water rate calculations are based on a number of factors related to the City's customer base. Factors include the number of customers, customer classes, meter size, and actual water usage. Exhibit 111-2 summarizes customer account from the City's utility billing system. Customer account data is summarized by customer class and meter size. THE REED GROUP, INC. RAGE 34 WATER AND WASTEWATER CITY OF PETALUMA FINANCIAL PLAN AND RATE STUDY Exhibit III-2 City of Petaluma--Water Resources and Conservation Summary of Water Utility Customer Accounts No. of Connections by Meter Size(1) Total Customer Class Up to 3/4" 1" 1 1/2" 2" 3" 4" 6" Accounts Single Family 15,720 1,575 3 6 - - - 17,304 Multi-Family 105 53 45 69 29 5 5 311 Commercial 463 243 121 209 14 3 4 1,057 Institutional 24 35 26 48 6 8 - 147 Industrial 2 3 4 9 1 2 - 21 Irrigation 55 143 113 123 5 6 1 446 Total Connections 16,369 2,052 312 464 55 24 10 19,286 Hydr. Capac. Factor 1.00 1.67 3.33 5.33 10.00 16.67 33.33 No. of 3/4" Equiv. Mtrs. 16,369 3,427 1,039 2,473 550 400 333 24,591 Notes: (1) From utility billing system as of August 17,2010. Customers of different meter sizes can place different demands on the water system. Much more water can be delivered through a 4" water meter than through a 3/4" meter. To relate the potential demands on the water system from customers with different sized water meters, hydraulic capacity factors are used to determine the number of 3/4" (typical single family dwelling) equivalent water meters represented by the total customer base with variable meter sizes. The ratios of instantaneous flow capacities of the various meter sizes to the capacity of a 3/4" meter are used to determine the 3/4" equivalencies. This capacity relationship across meter sizes is generally used to allocate capacity-related costs to various customers. In FY 09-10, the City's water service customers used approximately 3,205,000 hcf (-7,359 AF) of water. About 59 percent of the water was used by single family customers and about 41 percent by other customer classes. The analysis of tiered water rates required detailed water use data for all customers subject to the tiered rates. The detailed water use data is used to develop information on the distribution of water usage across the range of use. Exhibit 111-3 shows single family residential water use data on an annual basis using data from FY 09-10. The bars making up the bell-shaped•curve indicate the number (or percentage) of water bills using various amounts of water. The line on each graph indicates the percentage of total water usage (using the right scale) that is at or below any given level of usage. For example, median monthly water usage for single family customers over the year is 7.5 hcf. Water usage of up to 7.5 hcf per month accounts for about 65 percent of all water used by single family customers. This data and the information supporting these graphs are critical to tier rate design. With this information it is possible to anticipate the amount of water sales, and therefore revenues,which will result from any her structure. THE REED GROUP, INC. PAGE 35 WATER AND WASTEWATER CITY OF PETALUMA FINANCIAL PLAN AND RATE STUDY Exhibit III-3 City of Petaluma--Water Resources and Conservation Summary of Single Family Water Use Characteristics 5% - __- - _._ 100% 90% q% __________ %Single Family Bills - 80% -5 o- a Cumul. %Use< Brk. Pt. 70% m it 3% • - - - - - - _ 60% f° Crj. o 50% 7 - 2% o . ;f. ptia,_ l 30% 5 _ m 10% 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 Monthly Water Use(hcf) For reference purposes, median and average annual water use among single family customers is approximately 7.5 hcf and 9 hcf monthly, respectively. During winter months, when irrigation demands are minimal, average single family water use is about 5.5 hcf monthly. All of these values are somewhat lower than normal, owing to the current weather patterns and economic conditions. The foregoing customer account and water use data have been used in water rate analysis that is presented in the remainder of this section. Water Rate Calculations There are three steps to determining water rates. These are: • Determine annual water rate revenue requirements • Analyze the cost of providing service to each customer class • Design water rates to recover costs from each customer class. Water Rate Revenue Requirements The 5-year financial plan was used to identify the water rate revenue required to meet financial obligations for each fiscal year of the five-year planning period. However, as described previously, water rates are adjusted on a calendar year basis. Water rate calculations presented herein are based on the revenue to be generated in 2012. While total annual water rate revenues for FY 11- 12 and FY 12-13 shown in the financial plan (see Exhibit 11-5) are about $11.52 million and $12.36 THE REED GROUP, INC. PAGE 36 WATER AND WASTEWATER CITY OF PETALUMA FINANCIAL PLAN AND RATE STUDY million, respectively, the revenue requirement for calendar year 2012 is $12.20 million. This is the annual water rate revenue requirement used for water rate calculation purposes for 2012. It should be noted that this revenue requirement is exclusive of any adjustment to water rates and revenue needs that may occur from changes in the cost of wholesale water purchases. An adjustment to water rates for that purpose is described later in this section. Cost of Service Analysis Once the annual water rate revenue requirement has been determined using the financial plan model, the next step in the rate setting process is to evaluate the cost of providing service. Water rate calculations contained herein are intended to generate the level of revenue commensurate with the revenue requirement from the City's water service customers. The manner in which each customer is responsible for the water utility's costs is the,determining factor in the cost of service analysis. The water utility incurs certain types of costs associated with making water service available to customers. Other costs are incurred as a direct result of customer water usage. A cost of service analysis is intended to allocate the costs of providing water service to customers in proportion to the extent to which each customer causes the costs to be incurred. There are many approaches to cost of service analysis; some are more complex than others. The approach used herein is commensurate with the data available, the distinctions currently made between various types of customers, the requirement to fairly and reasonably reflect differences in service provisions to differently situated customers. The cost allocation methodology used herein begins by assigning all costs to one of three categories. The cost allocation process is performed with data available in the City's budget and accounting documents. The three.categories include: • Customer costs, such as meter reading and billing, are fixed costs that tend to vary as a function of the number of customers being served. Customer costs are allocated to customers based on the number of accounts. That is, every customer will pay an equal share of customer-related costs. • Capacity costs are also fixed costs; however, these tend to vary in relation to the capacity of the water system. Customers that place greater or lesser burdens on the capacity of the water system should bear greater or lesser shares of these costs. The sizing of the water system is based on the potential demand that each customer could place on the water system. Capacity costs are allocated to customers based on the size (hydraulic capacity) of the water meter. The hydraulic capacity reflects the potential demand that a customer could place on the water system at any given time. A customer with a large meter size will be assigned a large share of fixed capacity-related costs than one with a smaller meter. Capacity costs include costs associated with the water system's capacity including contributions to the capital program, debt service, maintenance costs, etc. • Commodity costs are variable costs that vary with the amount of actual water use. Water purchase costs and energy costs are two primary examples. However, in an effort to encourage water conservation, fixed costs are frequently included in commodity components such that a majority of costs are recovered on the basis of usage. Even though some commodity costs are fixed, rather than variable, it is reasonable to allocate these costs to customers on the basis of usage, rather than the capacity relationship expressed by meter size. A significant portion of the water utility's fixed costs is recovered through water usage charges. THE REED GROUP, INC. PAGE 37 WATER AND WASTEWATER CITY OF PETALUMA FINANCIAL PLAN AND RATE STUDY The water conservation best management practice for retail water rates (now BMP 1.4 and formerly BMP 11), as promulgated by the CUWCC, requires that at least 70 percent of water rate revenue be generated through usage charges. The City's current water rates generate about 87 percent of revenue from usage (commodity) charges, even though usage based revenue has declined commensurate to reduced water demands. Maintaining the City's policy objective of encouraging water conservation, but also recognizing that the standard established by the CUWCC has been exceeded, the allocation of costs presented herein slightly shifts this relationship with 85 percent of the revenue requirement allocated to the commodity component. Based on the FY 11-12 draft budget for the water utility, customer service costs represent about 4 percent of the annual water rate revenue requirement. This leaves 11 percent of the revenue requirement allocated to capacity costs. In summary, the cost allocation resulted in a distribution of costs to customer, capacity, and commodity categories at about 4 percent, 11 percent, and 85 percent, respectively. Water Rate Design The third step in the rate setting process is the design of water rates to recover costs from each customer class and generate the revenue needed for the utility. The City's water rates include both fixed service charges and water usage rates. The calculation of each of these is described below. Service Charges Service charges are intended to recover the customer and capacity costs identified through the cost of service analysis. Service charges apply to all customer water bills, regardless of the amount of water actually used. In calculating service charges customer costs are allocated equally to all customers and capacity costs are allocated based on meter size in relation to the hydraulic capacity associated with the various meter sizes. Exhibit III-4 presents the calculation of service charges for the water rates proposed for 2012. The monthly service charge for a standard 3/4" water meter would be $6.66. This is $0.97 higher than the current service charge of $5.69. Other service charges are also higher than current service charges. The variation of service charges through meter sizes reflects the fact that a small portion of water system costs are directly related to the number of customers served. A majority of fixed costs are allocated on a capacity basis as reflected by the meter size. The changes to the service charges across the range of meter sizes better reflects the cost of providing service to customers of varying meter sizes. At present, this capacity relationship is not adequately expressed in the service charges. Water Usage Rates Upon review of the City's current tier structure, it is recommended that the City maintain a 4-tier structures for single family customers, but with slight modifications to tier allocations. Under the proposed water rates, the monthly single family water usage allocations within each tier would change as follows: Current Proposed Tier Allocations Tier Allocations Tier 1 0-9 hcf/mo. 0-8 hcf/mo. Tier 2 10-18 hcf/mo. 9-16 hcf/mo. Tier 3 19-24 hcf/mo. 17-24 hcf/mo. Tier 4 >24 hcf/mo. >24 hcf/mo. THE REED GROUP, INC. PAGE 38 WATER AND WASTEWATER CITY OF PETALUMA FINANCIAL PLAN AND RATE STUDY cD r 0 0000 0 0 0 — D 0 0 0 0 0 0 m Ip 0 O cN 6 C C N CO N ' co. r Q O N 07 C > N co r ' CO r I- CO C > r V 1O O N CO U r Q C) r .7 O Q Ce EA E9 60 Ea Ea EA E9 0 M r O) 0 CO O co CO V V E-- r N r O- O O C) tO N N Ea co N N EA ' r N M R Ei M M CO r r m .co te to E9 EA CO E9 CO CA W 1A W Ea V O r N N N O) r f.- N r 0 N O r CO O V d ,_ r N. O to N CO O Ni to r V w O O t0 (N1 CO IC) C- r N r co-r O O) If) C y N E. CO r r r O 0 O 3 = NQr CO N N CA E9 IA E9 C ED O N EC o r CO O O) 0 (0 U w to IO r V El) O _>, co 0) O r N 1A r L C U Cn (J — 01 f"1 V O M C K U L �.L VOi C O N 0 0 L ED N D O "O N O Ea DJ r r N U d w N N E9 E9 w EA 7 0 O A C N p) N o y >O w O w •e V CO r p N CO O p) 0) CO N- r N CO w Q O O V 73. 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PAGE 39 WATER AND WASTEWATER CITY OF PETALUMA FINANCIAL PLAN AND RATE STUDY The revised tier allocations for single family customers are recommended for the following reasons. • The first tier allocation of up to 8 hcf per month (about 200 gpd) is a slight reduction in the current first tier allocation. The first tier is intended to represent indoor water need and is generally determined by examining the winter water use characteristics of customers. Based on water usage data about 80 percent of all single family'customers use 8 hcf or less per month during winter months. Reducing the tier allocation also makes it possible to limit the amount of increase in the first tier rate. On an annual basis approximately 57 percent of all single family residential water hills will only have first tier water usage, even with the reduction in the tier allocation. Also, more than two-thirds of the single family water usage is within the first tier. • The second tier allocation of up to 16 hcf per month (about•400 gpd)is intended to provide a reasonable amount of water for outdoor irrigation purposes. With this tier allocation about 72 percent of single family customer bills would remain within the first two tiers of the rate structure during peak summer irrigation months. On an annual basis about 88 percent of the single family water bills would be within the first two tiers and about 90 percent of all single family water usage would be within the first two tiers. • The third tier with water usage up to 24 hcf per month (about 600 gpd) is an indicator to customers that their water use is beyond the range of typical water use, even during peak summer months. • The fourth tier includes all water usage in excess of 24 hcf per month (over 600 gpd) and represents excessive usage. With this tier allocation about 9 percent of single family customer bills would have some usage at this highest tier during peak summer irrigation months. On an annual basis about 3.5 percent of the single family water bills would be in the highest tier and about 4 percent of all single family water usage would be in this highest tier. Just as important as the tier allocations is the setting of tier rates. To maintain equity across the customer classes, each customer class within the City has the same effective uniform water usage rate. For multi-family, commercial, institutional, industrial, and irrigation customers within the City it is recommended that the uniform water usage rate be adjusted to $3.24/hcf in 2012 from the current usage rate of$3.14/hcf for 2011. Tiered rates for single family customers have been designed such that the weighted average water usage rate across all tiers is equal to the uniform water usage rate for other customers. To achieve this, the rate for the first tier is lower than the uniform rate and the rates for the second, third, and four tiers are all higher than the uniform rate. It is recommended that the rate step adjustments (rate increase from one tier to the next)through the four tiers be adjusted as follows: Current Proposed Tier Steps Tier Steps 1s'to 2nd Tier +16% +20% 2nd to 3'd Tier +28% +25% 3rd to 4th Tier +11% +30% The proposed changes (1) help maintain lower rates for base water usage, (2) create better uniformity in the tier structure, and (3) facilitate the City's water conservation objectives by THE REED GROUP, INC. PAGE 40 WATER AND WASTEWATER CITY OF PETALUMA FINANCIAL PLAN AND RATE STUDY increasing the rate for the highest use tier. About 90 percent of all single family water usage occurs within the first two tiers. The overall weighted average cost per unit of single family water usage, across all four tiers, is $3.24 per hcf. Therefore, the tier structure is in balance with the uniform rate paid by other customer classes. The tier structure for single family residential customers is justified on a cost basis by allocating a portion of water conservation costs to peak usage rates. The additional revenue generated in the third and fourth tiers (above the second tier) represents about 75 percent of the water conservation program costs allocated to single family customers. The remaining 25 percent of water conservation costs is reflected in base (first two tiers)water usage. Exhibit III-5 presents tiered water usage rate calculations for single family residential customers. Exhibit III-6 presents graphically the changes to the single family tier structure. The lower right corner of Exhibit III-4 presents water usage rates for each customer class and associated revenue calculations. Exhibit III-5 City of Petaluma-- Water Resources and Conservation Sumary of Single Family Tiered Water Rate Calculation Brk. Pt. (1) % Bills % Use Rate ($/tg) Rate Step Proposed Residential Water Rate Structure Tier 1 8 57.3% 67.9% $ 2.91 Tier 2 16 30.9% 21.8% $ 3.49 20% Tier 3 24 8.3% 6.2% $ 4.36 25% Tier4 3.5% 4.1% $ 5.66 30% Weighted Average Rate --> $ 3.24 Notes: (1) Monthly water use allocations. THE REED GROUP, INC. PAGE 41 WATER AND WASTEWATER CITY OF PETALUMA FINANCIAL PLAN AND RATE STUDY Exhibit III-6 City of Petaluma --Water Resources and Conservation Proposed Single Family Tiered Water Rate Structure (2012) $10.00 $9.00 - - Current Tier Rates $8.00 -- —Proposed Tier Rates --- --------- - $7.00 _ _ __ $5.00 - - _... _... w $4.00 $3.00 - - - - - -. -'- -----°----- ... _ • ._'__---- $2.00 _._._ - - - ___............. $1.00 $- —-T-----� - - 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 Monthly Water Use(hcf) Proposed Water Rate Schedule for 2012 Exhibit III-7 summarizes current and proposed water rate schedules. The proposed water rates for 2012 reflect an overall 4 percent increase in revenue relative to the current water rate schedule adopted for 2011. Impact of Proposed Rates on Representative Customer Bills Exhibit 111-8 summarizes the impact of the proposed water rates relative to the current water rates. Any rate structure change will result in changes in customer bills, even when applied in a revenue neutral situation. The specific impact to any individual customer will depend on the customer class, meter size, and actual water usage. The increase in most water bills will be smaller than the overall average of 4 percent under the proposed rates, while others will be larger. In all cases, the bills under the proposed water rates are intended to better reflect equity across customers, the cost of providing service, and the City's goals for encouraging water conservation. THE REED GROUP, INC. PAGE 42 WATER AND WASTEWATER CITY OF PETALUMA FINANCIAL PLAN AND RATE STUDY Exhibit III-7 City of Petaluma -- Water Resources and Conservation Current and Proposed Water Rates (1) Current Proposed Water Rates Water Rates (Jan. 2011) (Jan. 2012) Monthly Service Charges Up to 3/4" meter $ 5.69 $ 6.66 1" meter (resid.) $ 6.84 $ 9.70 1" meter $ 7.07 $ 9.70 1 1/2" meter $ 12.40 $ 17.25 2" meter $ 19.46 $ 26.35 3" meter $ 40.19 $ 47.59 4" meter $ 54.13 $ 77.92 6" meter $ 78.19 $ 153.70 Water Usage Charge ($/hcf) Single Family (3) Tier 1 $ 2.94 $ 2.91 Tier 2 $ 3.41 $ 3.49 Tier 3 $ 4.35 $ 4.36 Tier 4 $ 4.82 $ 5.66 Other Customers (4) All water usage $ 3.14 $ 3.24 Notes: (1) Effective January 1 of each year. (2) Proposed rates include rate restructuring as well as an overall 4 percent revenue increase over the current rates. (3) Monthly tier allocations: Current Proposed Tier 1 0-9 hcf/mo. 0-8 hcf/mo. Tier 2 10-18 hcf/mo. 9-16 hcf/mo. Tier 3 19-24 hcf/mo. 17-24 hcf/mo. Tier 4 >24 hcf/mo. >24 hcf/mo. (4) Includes multi-family, commercial, institutional, industrial, and irrigation irrigation accounts. Excludes recycled water accounts. THE REED GROUP, INC. PAGE43 WATER AND WASTEWATER CITY OF PETALUMA FINANCIAL PLAN AND RATE STUDY Exhibit III-8 City of Petaluma -- Water Resources and Conservation Water Bill Impacts for Representative Customers Monthly Current Proposed Water Use Water Rates Water Rates % Change (hcf) (Jan. 2011) (Jan. 2012) (1) Single Family Residential Low Use 6 $ 23.33 $ 24.12 3.4% Typical Use 10 $ 35.56 $ 36.92 3.8% High Use 18 $ 62.84 $ 66.58 6.0% Very High Use 50 $ 214.26 $ 239.90 12.0% Non-Residential 20-unit Apt. Bldg. (2" mtr.) 100 $ 333.46 $ 350.35 5.1% Office Bldg. (2" mtr.) 120 $ 396.26 $ 415.15 4.8% Restaurant (1" mtr.) 60 $ 195.47 $ 204.10 4.4% Landscape Irrig. (1 1/2" mtr.) 100 $ 326.40 $ 341.25 4.5% Notes: (1) Proposed rates include rate restructuring as well as an overall 4 percent revenue increase over the current rates. Future Adjustments to Water Rates Two automatic adjustments are proposed for the City's water rates to help cover the costs of providing water service to customers for the next five years. Automatic Water Rate Adjustments for Changes in SCWA Costs The City obtains nearly all of its water supplies from the Sonoma County Water Agency. SCWA typically increases its wholesale water rates (including the rate charged to the City) in the.spring of each year, with the rates effective in July of each year. In the spring of 2011 the rate applicable to the City's water purchases increased by 5 percent. For FY 11-12, it is estimated that the City will purchase about 7,285 AF of water from the SCWA. SCWA's increased water rate will result in increased costs to the City of about $220,000 in FY 11-12. City staff has indicated that future annual SCWA water rate increases in the range of 6 percent may be anticipated for the next five years. In the fall of 2008, the Governor signed into law Assembly Bill (AB) 3030. AB 3030 authorizes the City to adopt water rate schedules that authorize automatic adjustments that pass through increases in wholesale charges for water and/or inflation, It is recommended that the City adopt procedures for implementing automatic adjustments to water rates based on SCWA water charges, as allowed by AB 3030. Automatic adjustment procedures may be adopted for up to five years, and then need to be re-approved. Exhibit 111-8 includes a worksheet that.could be used to calculate the automatic rate adjustments for changes in SCWA water charges on an annual basis. The worksheet shows the calculation for hypothetical 6 percent water rate increase by SCWA for FY 12-13. The worksheet, however, would be used for any future changes in SCWA's wholesale water rate to the City. The adjustment to the City's water rates would only affect water usage rates. Monthly service charges would not THE REED GROUP, INC. PAGE 44 WATER AND WASTEWATER CITY OF PETALUMA FINANCIAL PLAN AND RATE STUDY be impacted. In the example provided, a 6 percent increase in SCWA's water rate to the City would result in a 2.7 percent increase in the City's water usage charge to customers in FY 12-13. In effect, any change in the rates charged by SCWA for wholesale water purchases could be reflected in the City's water rates as soon at SCWA rates go into effect. This would help keep the water utility financially whole. In addition, the automatic.adjustment procedure allows the 5-year study and rate hearing process to address the annual adjustment of water rates in response to SCWA rate changes. It also avoids the need to anticipate SCWA's future rate actions and attempts to allow the City's rate to respond to appropriately to SCWA rate changes. Exhibit III-9 City of Petaluma--Water Resources and Conservation Sample Calculation of Automatic Rate Adjustment for FY 12-13 Changes in SCWA Water Charges (1) SCWA Water Charges Petaluma Aqueduct Current Rate (FY 11-12) $ 634.11 /AF Estimated Future Rate (FY 12-13) $ 672.15 /AF Change $ 38.04 /AF 6.0% Estimated.SCWA Water Purchases (annual) SCWA Water Purchase Volume 7,532 AF Impact of SCWA Cost Change $ 286,506 Petaluma Water Usage Rate Impact Est.Annual Water Usage Revenue(2) $ 10,661,000 Impact of SCWA Cost Change 2.7% City's Proposed 2012 Water Usage Pass-Through Petaluma Water Usage Rates Rates Adjustment(3) Single Family Residential Tier1 $ 2.91 !hcf $ 0.08 /hcf Tier 2 $ 3.49 /hcf $ 0.09 /hcf Tier 3 $ 4.36 /hcf $ 0.12 /hcf Tier 4 $ 5.66 /hcf $ 0.15 /hcf MF, Comm., Inst., Indus, 8 Irrig. $ 3.24 !hcf $ 0.09 /hcf Notes: (1) Assumes the City adopts the proposed 2012 water rates,which is then followed by a SCWA FY 12-13 rate increase of 6 percent. (2) Based on current usage rates and estimated annual water sales. (3) Pass through adjustments would be added to the then current water usage rates. Legend: Data input fields--> Resulting rate adjustments--> Bold Italics THE REED GROUP, INC. PAGE 45 WATER AND WASTEWATER CITY OF PETALUMA FINANCIAL PLAN AND RATE STUDY The City is required to go through the formal water rate setting process, including 45-day notification to all customers, when adopting the pass-through formula. It is recommended that this be included in the action to approve the proposed new water rate structure. Automatic Water Rate Adjustments for General Inflation Wholesale water costs represent the single largest operating cost of the water utility, and currently represents about 47 percent of operating costs and about 43 percent of current water rate revenues. While the automatic adjustment for wholesale water costs will provide a means for recovering SCWA water purchase costs, other cost changes will necessitate periodic increases in the City's water rates. At present (and with the SCWA automatic adjustment), the City's water utility is financially stable. To maintain this stability, it is recommended that the City annually adjust water rate based on the changes in general inflation. While changes in water utility costs are not directly aligned with changes in general inflation, this method of indexing water rates should be adequate for several years(periodic review of the utility's financial situation is recommended). Consistent with the requirements of AB 3030, which allows for inflationary adjustments to water and wastewater rates, the City should adopt a formula for annually adjusting water rates On January of each year) based on the change in the San Francisco consumer price index (CPI). This indexing would begin in January 2013. The financial plan presented in Section II of this report reflects this indexing recommendation. Like the automatic adjustment procedure for SCWA cost increases, the inflationary automatic adjustment procedure may be adopted for up to five years, and then need to be re-approved. THE REED GROUP, INC. PAGE 46 WATER AND WASTEWATER CITY OF PETALUMA FINANCIAL PLAN AND RATE STUDY s. - .= - s-- -tee- - .` - v.=�- ` >IV •Wastewater�Rates `'�-� � �' This section of the report describes and presents recommendations for updating the City's wastewater rates to provide sufficient revenues for the utility's ongoing operations, debt service obligations, and capital improvement needs. The annual wastewater rate revenue requirement was presented in Section II of the report as a result of the development of the 5-year financial plan. Annual wastewater rate revenue requirements for 2012 were used to perform rate analyses and to develop wastewater rate schedules presented herein. They reflect a 5 percent increase, overall, relative to the current (2011)wastewater rates. The wastewater rate analyses presented herein include changes to improve equity across customer classes, reflect the cost of providing service, and continue to encourage water conservation. Existing Wastewater Rates Exhibit IV-1, on the following page, summarizes the current wastewater rates of the City's wastewater utility. Wastewater rates were last adjusted in January 2011. The rate schedule shown in Exhibit IV-1, as well as all rate schedules presented in this report, presents rates on a monthly basis. From 2007 through 2010, the City had increased wastewater rates by 13 percent each January. In 2010, a previously approved 13 percent increase was reduced to 9 percent. Single family and multi-family residential customers are subject to fixed monthly service charges plus a usage charge based on winter water usage. Each year, the City monitors water usage during the winter (low use) months and then determines the minimum usage for each residential customer. Winter water usage is assumed to be primarily indoor water usage. In.July of each year, the City calculates a new wastewater bill amount for each residential customer based on the prior winter water use. In 2010, because of a cool and wet spring, water use from April/May billing cycles were also included in the winter water use analysis. Winter water use for 2011 has returned to a level similar to 2009. Non-residential wastewater customers are subject to usage-based rates utilizing actual water usage within each billing cycle. Non-residential customers are assigned to low, medium, or high strength category depending on the type of business and the strength of wastewater generated using standard factors for biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) and total suspended solids (TSS). By relating wastewater rates to the strength characteristics of wastewater produced by customers the rates more equitably reflect the costs of providing service. The rates are determined based on standard strength characteristics for each category. Non-residential wastewater rates apply to actual water usage. A fixed service charge is also included in non-residential wastewater bills. The City provides wastewater service to about 30 customers that do not receive water service. Flat wastewater rates have been established for these customers based on average residential usage. The City also provides wastewater treatment service to Penngrove. Wastewater charges are collected through the county, with the rate based on the flat rates for residential customers. There are about 514 equivalent single family dwelling units (ESFDs) in Penngrove currently connected to the City system. THE REED GROUP, INC. PAGE 47 WATER AND WASTEWATER CITY OF PETALUMA FINANCIAL PLAN AND RATE STUDY Exhibit IV-1 City of Petaluma -- Water Resources and Conservation Current Wastewater Rates (1) Current Wastewater Rates (Jan. 2011) Monthly Service Charges Single Family Residential $ 16.19 Unmetered $ 78.57 Multi-Family Resid. (per DU) $ 16.19 Non-Residential Low Strength $ 16.19 Medium Strength $ 16.19 High Strength $ 16.19 Metered Industrial (2) $ 16.19 Wastewater Usage Charge ($/hct) Single Family Residential $ 7.67 Multi-Family Residential $ 7.67 Non-Residential Low Strength $ 7.64 Medium Strength $ 9.09 High Strength $ 11.76 Metered Industrial (2) Flow ($/hcf) $ 5.69 BOD ($/lb) $ 0.56 TSS ($/lb) $ 0.60 Notes: (1) Effective January 1, 2011. (2) Includes customers for which wastewater flows are sampled and tested to determine appropriate charges. The City also provides wastewater service to six large industrial customers for which wastewater is measured and sampled to determine loading characteristics. Monthly wastewater bills are based on actual wastewater flow and loading for each customer. The City provided data on actual flow and loadings by industrial customers. This data is used in rate calculations presented herein. Approximately 24 percent of wastewater rate revenue is derived from the monthly service charges. The service charge is the same for all residential dwellings (including multi-family dwelling units) as well as all non-residential customers, including industrial customers, regardless of demand or potential demand on the wastewater system (with the exception of unmetered service charges that, in effect, include a usage charge), The equity of the current rate structure could be improved if service charges reflect the capacity associated with each connection. The issue is illustrated with the following statistics: THE REED GROUP, INC. PAGE 48 WATER AND WASTEWATER CITY OF PETALUMA FINANCIAL PLAN AND RATE STUDY • Residential customers (including Penngrove) currently generate 72 percent of the wastewater flow, 53 percent of the BOD loading and 71 percent of the TSS loading, but generate 77 percent of wastewater rate revenues. • Non-residential customers currently generate 17 ,percent of the wastewater flow, 25 percent of the BOD loading and 22 percent of the TSS loading, but generate 14 percent of wastewater rate revenues. • Industrial customers currently generate 11 percent of the wastewater flow, 22 percent of the BOD loading and 7 percent of the TSS loading, but generate 8 percent of wastewater rate revenues. A more standard way to assess service charges is to relate them to the size of the water meter (like is done with water rates). This approach, common among municipal utilities, provides a means of allocating capacity related costs to the potential demand each customer can place on the wastewater system. Rate Setting Objectives The development of wastewater rate recommendations has been guided by several rate-setting objectives. These objectives were reviewed with City staff and include: • Rates should generate sufficient revenues to meet the utility's financial obligations related to operations,'debt service, capital improvement needs, and maintenance of prudent reserves • Rates should be equitable by reflecting the cost of providing service to each customer class • Rates should continue to encourage water conservation and efficient water use • Rates should be held as low as possible,while still meeting financial obligations. These objectives guided the review of and recommendations on wastewater rates and rate structures. Customer Account Data and Wastewater Flow and Loading Estimates Wastewater rate calculations are based on a number of factors related to the City's customers. Factors include the number of customers, customer classes, water usage and wastewater flows, and strength characteristics of wastewater as determined by BOD and TSS. Exhibit IV-2 summarizes customer account and water usage data obtained from the City's utility billing system, as well as estimates of resulting wastewater flow and loading characteristics. Residential wastewater flows are estimated based on water usage during winter months. Non- residential wastewater flows are based on actual water usage, as most non-residential irrigation is separately metered. There are about 312 multi-family residential wastewater accounts comprised of about 5,081 dwelling units. Average winter water use for single family dwellings is about 5.4 hcf per month (about 136 gpd). The average winter water use for multi-family dwellings is about 4.5 hcf(about 113 gpd), or about 83 percent of that of single family residences. THE REED GROUP, INC. PAGE 49 WATER AND WASTEWATER CITY OF PETALUMA FINANCIAL PLAN AND RATE STUDY V7 N r N N- N Ul Y) Co 0) 0 0 r c0 0 LO r W F- C O r CO co N0 O N v) N V N co I� U) C1 co O W c �_ CO N- O O) (OK T D C O CD O N M N m 0 C J N Co a C O t co co c0 O O O N 0 CO CO CO o 0 o Cl) a a� (0 „� — N N N N V (D N (0 C 0) GO O y co O N m h. O C N N C r N O) r 0) N c o N E N O C - O (0O CO N- (N r v) O C co O UJ O) C) O W N (0 m C m c a co o - Co CO O N a m co v CO m J C -I M ✓i Q C. \ C c C O m co (00) 0) O O O O O) 0 vi Od C O 01 — N O O OOO U) N m C O p O c o) r m C 0 m E c m E Zu m c 16 a ` d 3 - N. c 0 O N A N 0 co N CO CO r CO (0 0) g c, _A -� 0 E c U' r o LO Lo c m c to 2 m m o W Q m o m co E to 73 rn 0 E a m N V •A a 3 N. r «) a N N r- m w .0 4.. y E c LL N U O U N- N V O) Ni O c j _'� O C Q. W ._ c N L N N r N O o C d E m t v 0 Q 3 r N m e E x d c W m c m o N 7i W R N m = y ~ c a m o E a o 0 0 i o o m CO N N CO 0 O O i 0 O S (O U) W O O O �� c0i 0 6 N E 03 4, ra 4a1 C a. y- 0 m COO N 06 0 3 2 O ,- d E m 10 V N '—N- r V N U) N a co y V y N. r 0 0 CO o - W ° m . _ J a Q a) O)^ co (n O) (O U) r CO m or- O CO) N O N v L O) W r c0 r Q) M LL 0 E N U O E 7 N. CO N r )O C O m N (n R' T p r Ni �° mcma �i O CO N d y In N N m u a O) 'CO r CO N O CO CO O N 0 N m N Oo O) U) N N on 0 1 0 L - N Ni O c m o m LL 0 V V LL 3 ? 10 Z w N '0- .y T D y0 0 W m ` E O m m 2 m m a 15 to coor r (ON co m ° E moo', m 3 `° H a) (0o (0 - CD a) EmE � m O 7 « (o vi •i y.c m m m Z 0 U N E C L �' a m N Q ma 01 > in 3 m N _> o N Ig VI M L T W Q"O .0 O C m ry co > '^ �-^ m = co. n 2 co T� W C CC U >`C T L m L C C co C_ C Q V E [1 — Cm— � � O O N - -0O 4 c (n N .0 N m N u_ N td a N (6 N N a. 0 N O N a) c I-L 0 (n - � o m m = 5 co L o �I .6 C O ; S _ m N r (V CO R co c0 K 2 F 2 THE REED GROUP, INC. PAGE 50 WATER AND WASTEWATER CITY OF PETALUMA FINANCIAL PLAN AND RATE STUDY Residential flat rate customers (not receiving water service), including the Penngrove area, are assumed to have higher winter water usage than customers receiving water service. This is appropriate for rate setting purposes for two reasons. First, flat rate customers do not have the same financial incentive to reduce winter water use, and therefore can be expected to have higher water demands than those not on flat rates. Second, current winter water use patterns are lower than historical norms for a variety of reasons and a rebound is indicated and likely to continue. Wastewater bills for customers with usage-based rates will self-adjust based on changes in winter water usage patterns. That self-adjustment mechanism doesn't exist for flat rate customers. Winter water use of 8 hcf per month (about 200 gpd)is assumed for flat rate customers. Non-residential wastewater customers are classified into user groups with similar wastewater strength characteristics of BOD and TSS. This rate study did not include a review of the specific assignment of each non-residential customer into the low, medium, or high strength categories. Representative BOD and TSS strength concentrations utilized in a previous rate study for the City were also used in this study. These factors had been based on guidelines published by the California State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB)and other sources. Wastewater Rate Calculations There are three steps to determining wastewater rates. These are: • Determine annual wastewater rate revenue requirements • Analyze the cost of providing service to each customer class • Design wastewater rates to recover costs from each customer class. Water Reclamation Rate Revenue Requirements The 5-year financial plan was used to identify the wastewater rate revenue requirements for each fiscal year of the five-year planning period. However, as described previously, wastewater rates are adjusted on a calendar year basis. Wastewater rate calculations presented herein are based on the revenue to be generated in 2012 and reflect a recommended overall 5 percent increase from the current wastewater rates. While total annual wastewater rate revenues for FY 11-12 and FY 12-13 shown in the financial plan (see Exhibit 11-7)are about $20.61 million and $21.64 million, respectively, the revenue needed to meet financial obligations for calendar year 2012 is about $21.174 million. This is the annual wastewater rate revenue requirement used for wastewater rate calculation purposes for 2012. Cost of Service Analysis Once the annual wastewater rate revenue requirement has been determined, the next step in the rate setting process is to evaluate the cost of providing service. Wastewater rate calculations contained herein are intended to generate the level of revenue commensurate with the revenue requirement from the City's wastewater service customers. This includes the City's general wastewater customers, industrial customers, and customers in Penngrove. The manner in which each customer is responsible for the wastewater utility's costs is the determining factor in the cost of service analysis. To develop equitable wastewater rates, the revenue requirement is allocated to various customer classifications according to the services provided and the demands placed on the wastewater system. The City has allocated a majority of wastewater costs on the basis of water usage THE REED GROUP, INC. PAGE 51 WATER AND WASTEWATER CITY OF PETALUMA FINANCIAL PLAN AND RATE STUDY (wastewater flows), BOD, and TSS, resulting in usage charges generating about 76 percent of wastewater rate revenues. Fixed service charges account for about 24 percent of wastewater revenues. This revenue mix is consistent with the City's water conservation objective, but also creates a certain level of revenue volatility and uncertainty as water demands can vary from year to year. As an example, low water use in the winter and spring of 2010 resulted in lower winter water use being used to calculate residential wastewater bills. The lower use resulted in a reduction in FY 10-11 wastewater revenue below what had been previously forecast. Exhibit IV-3 summarizes how the 2012 wastewater rate revenue requirement is allocated to fixed charges as well as to flow, BOD, and TSS components that end up in usage charges. Once total costs are allocated, unit costs were determined by dividing the total cost for each component by the number of units identified in Exhibit IV-2. These unit costs become the basis for then assigning costs to customer classes. The cost of service analysis for wastewater is more complicated than water rate analysis in that treatment costs are separated from collection system costs. Collection system costs are allocated entirely on the basis of flow, whereas treatment costs are allocated on the basis of flow, BOD, and TSS. While the City's budget structure does lend itself to the segregation of costs into collection and treatment components, a more challenging part of the analysis is the allocation of treatment costs to flow, BOD and TSS parameters. Wastewater rate analyses performed in 2002 by the City included factors for allocating both operating and maintenance costs and capital costs for rate- setting purposes. This information, as well as standard estimating practices used in rate setting, has been used to allocate costs across flow; BOD, and TSS parameters. Wastewater treatment operating and maintenance costs have been allocated 60 percent based on flow, 20 percent based on BOD, and 20 percent based on TSS. While most of the capital investment is in treatment facilities, the wastewater system also includes significant investment in collection (including pumping) and disposal facilities. For this reason, capital costs were allocated 70 percent based on flow, 15 percent based on BOD, and 15 percent based on TSS. We believe these allocations are reasonable, and are within the ranges found in other wastewater rate analyses. Unit costs are applied to the annual wastewater flows, as well as BOD and TSS loadings associated with each customer class to arrive at the allocation of total costs to each customer class. Exhibit IV-4 presents the allocation of costs to each user class. Exhibit IV-5 presents the final wastewater user rates and charges recommended for each customer class. Rates for residential customers include a fixed service charge for each dwelling unit, plus a usage charge to be applied to winter water usage. Unmetered (sewer only) residential accounts will have a flat monthly wastewater charge based on estimated average winter water usage. Non-residential (low, medium, and high)customers are subject to a monthly service charge and wastewater usage rates applied to actual monthly water usage. Metered industrial customers are subject to a monthly fixed service charge as well as wastewater usage charges based on actual sewer flows and individual strength characteristics. THE REED GROUP, INC. 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PAGE 53 WATER AND WASTEWATER CITY OF PETALUMA FINANCIAL PLAN AND RATE STUDY N r V) LA R 0' n 0 0 GO c0 C N r V q v C N O . ° ur o r m r' 0 o -,- _ 12_— o m cc r r EE Q N W.ww 63 69 6.9 fA w V II m 0 m O) (.O 0 V 0 N n Ol iO )O (0 o N N O O y 0 O (O C i N N N O O O g co N 0 co CE N .- .- ,- 0 N N N C G Q =w w w w FA w E9 FA 69 U • 7 m 'a . 11 'O) o 0 0) co v) ONl l00 °o q = b M I- CO O OJ O M N O U g 0 0 0 t+1.r LO co(y r.-- .r 6 O c O0 CO N .- C) ,- CO v) w co q M r '2 ,- N q H C r U E �'^ www www w w u e O I (m'1 O O N o co Lo - V N (O N LA N N O) [) CO 0 D LL O m N O 6 , V O p, q o U N N- 01 (1 10- CNC 01°5 N N 0 a LL t M O. C N w W U D'A www www w a E — 2 C 0 11 m ,[1 N (O 0 CD CO (�+)N 0 0 53 N W,- M j A w U O co N ID V O N O O V N O N CO- O) (0 CO 0 ` C y E q C N O CI =w wwEE) ti.ww w w ti U 0 '0 _ n N co m. (p O)0 r) 0 MC C O ,^ C N N(O.O O h CJ N O COO a O .- .- O. CU 0 ,0, W U E O 0O (000 N O o N O Q 0 ' --- co N - o CO to v j U ^7 H .E -o o O Dw www www w w -C q N u m L3 L 11 N O O) o N V O R1 O 2 0 N .el 0 )O V I'- 1- 1[) N 0 Wr N 0 3 O N N u) (7 W N (O N II' q 0 oaN (0 (0to O � m eC q LL = V (CO N w q c ' - N _ Ao Ow IA 096969 v3 w o E ` — 0 0 C NN m O O co CO CO O) I- o a N 3 O CO 0 N 19 CO 0 O 0 0) N N O) O(7 6 N O a o .u O 0 N ON o NN-- m ON 0) (0 M O Q O LL -. N '- )O V Q T C N T U Dw www www w w U 3 11 N N O CO CO N 0 (0 O d « O CJ 0 I- '5 W(O CO 0 V - O (O 1- N D) 0 0 0 10 m.,)O O (D](p m o) 3 O aU ` oO(V)) M V) (V m CID O 0.0 (N (0 q n w www www w w 0 A q N L U y ° M N CO m CO O 0 0 CO 0 = N CO 0 N N- N N 0 v O Q ov ai N.O v N , E in LL U 0 N E N r C U =`A www www w w E O L q 0 0 U ->'c >. - - ws a.. m E -,-30 ..- E O 43, 2.'500 m 2 o e O o 1i q N E 7 �N J p d 0,, o N m • C 2 l0- OV O N q O V CO '- O OE -V v D V 0 U O CO D y ci O 0 O OZQ Z THE REED GROUP, INC. PAGE 54 WATER AND WASTEWATER CITY OF PETALUMA FINANCIAL PLAN AND RATE STUDY TN O N t m E m LL O co 3' r a r s3 3 U w 0 c l N r to CO V o- H 0 N 3 0) co N co co co r co 0 C 3 r co co co cc r N Cr' N < j CON LO 0 v r col r m o rn ON_ CO N r r r. co F- N EA EA EA V3 EA H3 to W "O = co CO r r co '- O) O 0 vi 10 N OD r O) tO O 0 y co O N. CO N 0 O co E) r r r) cN oO r d EO co racn O V co) COO N 1) 113 L (0 V r r r 0 U . U co N r r r l0 U U ti EA co oo CH to kA CA W E C C co r V Lo CO tU V 0 O CO N CO r r CO 0 -U v, p O N CO r t N O a) ca -0 a) U 0 0) r N 0 co"co-r) 0) O O O Y O) (0 N N LL U V r (S) M O 0 r CO N � d to r C O CA EA CA EA CO CA CA LA N y O N to N V m U CO co W N N 0 -0 w 01 r r r CO co N P C C C c" L r r r r cc c -^ 10 o) 0 0) N -. 3 a 0 j0 w >. m o m .� U- LA CA w Vi in Vi c n co N i C o o _N T 3 E ltno > E > N O T O r c) n M E IX C x 0 c d m m s O L d D O LL .0 to o V X ry y U 0> a N u al N — fR 63 W 2 E C N ce L oo r m COO t 0 O O O N y U O N @' N En cI 'E N co co oi N N ON V c0 r 0 C 0 DU H c E - U. C C ; r O) E m m C 3 a .' O 3 Y N E C U N Vl . a O a) a) r) r) r) 0 0 0 0 to 0 0 N >> p) — 0 0 0 0 N O N m 3 -gi E d > O C m N N N CV xt O LU ' O w co d E r o —>' c O a d T N to O C ~ r r 11) V N l(] r 3 3 O U U C r co O) CO O CO 0 m m ril a C a) _ 0 V (O V to r o m N O) N a 3 0 U O N LU 'm V N r 3 O Nd -C r In N CO r C) N OO T co a) VI LL n o Ex•W r N >i m co co O m > U - m d 0) U -c D m _(0 to o) o. C O T >. 10 L C L co U L ty U EO ?• C mVJ by Lo N '� v Om m m E O c N m m E 3 E 3 E '? tlmm 'oa) E _ m * E O G N d LL (n .EN in F- c ' m mm _ U m)u) o m en -ma n 0 3 > U w co 2 CO _1 2 i c d a s CC Z m V C Ent m () x x x WV E Win CO ar rcOr co co a ._ m m m O To Off) (0 0 CO r co" N FO LL to UA O n O co to .. a) Z 0 Q N p — Z ` N CO Or THE REED GROUP, INC. PAGE 55 WATER AND WASTEWATER CITY OF PETALUMA FINANCIAL PLAN AND RATE STUDY Wastewater Rate Design It is recommended that the wastewater rate structure be modified in one important way. Rather than charging all wastewater customers (and residential dwelling units) the same monthly service charge, it is recommended that monthly service charges for non-residential customers be related to the size of the water meter. This allows the charge to each customer to reflect the potential demand that can be placed on the wastewater system. The current approach is not balanced, and poses a disproportionate burden on residential customers. In addition, it is recommended that the service charge for multi-family dwellings be smaller than for single family dwellings. Average winter water use for multi-family dwellings is about 83 percent of the winter water use for single family dwellings. Because multi-family dwellings place a smaller demand on the wastewater system, the capacity portion of the service charge should be correspondingly smaller. Monthly service charges for industrial customers are also currently identical to residential customers. It is proposed that fixed monthly service charges for industrial customers be related to flow capacity associated with wastewater flow meters. A charge is calculated for various flow meter sizes based on capacity considerations. Customers receiving wastewater service, but not water service, from the City (Including customers in Penngrove) should continue to be charged for service based on a flat monthly service charge. The sewer-only residential wastewater rate for single family customers was determined to be $79.55 per month based on estimated winter water use among flat rate customers. Proposed Wastewater Rate Schedule for 2012 Exhibit IV-6 summarizes current wastewater rates for 2011, as well as the proposed wastewater rate schedule for 2012. The proposed wastewater rates are, overall, 5 percent higher than the current rates. That is, the rate structure taken as a whole is expected to generate about 5 percent greater revenue than the current rate structure. Monthly service charges for all residential customers and non-residential customers with %"meters will increase moderately under the proposed rates. Service charges for non-residential customers with larger meters will increase in relation to capacity provided by the meter. The increases are significant, but justified based on cost of service principals and rate-setting practices in the industry. Wastewater usage rates increase by smaller percentages under the rate proposal. Small increases in the usage rates may more than offset larger service charge increases for many non- residential customers. Impact of Proposed Rates on Representative Customer Bills Exhibit IV-7 summarizes the impact of the proposed wastewater rates relative to the current wastewater rates for a variety of typical customers. Most customers (primarily residential customers) will have smaller bill increases than the overall average increase of 5 percent while other customers (primarily non-residential and industrial) will have larger bill increases than the overall 5 percent. The proposed wastewater rate structure improves the equity between customer classes and provides an improved distribution of costs across customers and customer classes. THE REED GROUP, INC. PAGE 56 WATER AND WASTEWATER CITY OF PETALUMA FINANCIALPLAN AND RATE STUDY Exhibit IV-6 City of Petaluma -- Water Resources and Conservation Table 3. Current and Proposed Wastewater Rates (1) Current Proposed Wastewater Wastewater Rates Rates (Jan. 2011) (Jan. 2012) Monthly Service Charge Single Family Residential $ 16.19 $ 17.15 Unmetered $ 78.57 $ 79.55 Multi-Family Resid. (per DU) $ 16.19 $. 14.94 Non-Residential Up to 3/4" meter $ 16.19 $ 17.15 1" meter $ 16.19 $ 25.88 1 1/2" meter $ 16.19 $ 47.52 7 meter $ 16.19 $ 73.59 3" meter $ 16.19 $ 134,47 4" meter $ 16.19 $ 221.41 6" meter $ 16.19 $ 438.57 Metered Industrial 2" Ultrasonic Meter $ 16.19 $ 199.64 10" Ultrasonic Meter $ 16.19 $ 438.61 2" Magnetic Meter $ 16.19 $ 134.47 3" Magnetic Meter $ 16.19 $ 286.54 4" Magnetic Meter $ 16.19 $ 438.61 6" Magnetic Meter $ 16.19 $ 1,090.36 Wastewater Usage Charge ($/hct) Single Family Residential $ 7.67 $ 7.78 Multi-Family Residential (per DU) $ 7.67 $ 7.78 Non-Residential Low Strength $ 7.64 $ 7.62 Medium Strength $ 9.09 $ 9.35 High Strength $ 11.76. $ 12.16 Metered Industrial(2) Flow($/hcf) $ 5.69 $ 6.06 BOD ($/lb) $ 0.56 $ 0.58 TSS ($/Ib) $ 0.60 $ 0.67 Notes: (1) Effective January 1 of each year. (2) Includes customers for which wastewater flows are sampled and tested to determine appropriate charges. (3) Proposed rates include rate restructuring as well as an overall 5 percent revenue increase over the current rates. THE REED GROUP, INC. PAGE 57 WATER AND WASTEWATER CITY OF PETALUMA FINANCIAL PLAN AND RATE STUDY Exhibit IV-7 City of Petaluma -- Water Resources and Conservation Wastewater Bill Impacts for Representative Customers Current Proposed Monthly Wastewater Wastewater Sewer Flow Rates Rates % Change (hcf) (Jan. 2011) (Jan. 2012) (1) Single Family Residential Low Use 4 $ 46.87 $ 48.27 3.0% Typical Use 6 $ 62.21 $ 63.83 2.6%. High Use 10 $ 92.89 $ 94.95 2.2% Very High Use 15 $ 131.24 $ 133.85 2.0% Non-Residential 20-Unit Apartment Building 100 $ 1,090.80 $ 1,076.80 -1.3% Office Bldg. (2" mtr., low strength) 120 $ 932.99 $ 987.99 5.9% Restaurant(1" mtr., high strength) 60 $ 721.79 $ 755.48 4.7% Metered Industrial Small Industrial Service Charge $ 16.19 $ 286.54 700 hcf $ 3,983.00 $ 4,242.00 1,100 lbs BOO $ 616.00 $ 638.00 650 lbs TSS $ 390.00 $ 435.50 $ 5,005.19 $ 5,602.04 11.9% Large Industrial Service Charge $ 16.19 $ 438.61 4,000 hcf $ 22,760.00 $ 24,240.00 13,000 lbs BOD $ 7,280.00 $ 7,540.00 6,000 lbs TSS $ 3,600.00 $ 4,020.00 $ 33,656.19 $ 36,238.61 7.7% Notes: (1) Proposed rates include rate restructuring as well as an overall 5 percent revenue increase over the current rates. Single family wastewater customers will have smaller bill increases than the overall 5 percent under the proposed wastewater rates. Typical single family residential wastewater bills will increase by 2 to 3 percent. Most multi-family residential customers will have bill decreases due to the reduction in the multi-family service charge. These results stem from the more equitable allocation of fixed charges to customers (based on capacity). Industrial customers as well as non- residential customers with large meter sizes will be impacted by the change in service charge calculation. The City's six industrial customers are estimated to see annual cost changes averaging about 8 percent as a result of the proposed wastewater rates. All wastewater rates are justified on a cost of service basis. Future Adjustments to Wastewater Rates An annual automatic adjustment is proposed for the City's wastewater rates to help cover the costs of providing wastewater service to customers for the next five years. THE REED GROUP, INC. PAGE 58 WATER AND WASTEWATER CITY OF PETALUMA FINANCIAL PLAN AND RATE STUDY Automatic Wastewater Rate Adjustments for General Inflation Similar to the water utility, an annual adjustment to the City's wastewater rate based on changes in general inflation is recommended beginning in January 2013. Based on financial plan analyses presented in Section II, following the rate adjustments in 2012 it appears that the City should be able to limit annual rate increases to the rate of general inflation, plus 1.5 percent, and meet financial obligations for operations and maintenance, debt service, the current capital improvement program, and maintenance of financial reserves. Indexing wastewater rates to changes in general inflation plus 1.5 percent should be adequate for several years (after which a review of the utility's financial situation would again be warranted). Minimum annual rate increases of at least 2.0 percent are recommended. Therefore, if the San Francisco CPI is 0 percent,then the annual adjustment would be 2.0 percent. THE REED GROUP, INC. PAGE 59