BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET) — The Bakersfield City Council postponed the sewer rate matter to its next meeting to consider other options, including a scenario proposed by Kern County.

Council members Eric Arias, Andrae Gonzales and Larry Koman voted to discuss the sewer rate problem again May 27. Councilman Ken Weir voted no, while Vice Mayor Manpreet Kaur and council members Bob Smith and Zack Bashirtash were absent for the vote.

The Council is asking city staff to analyze more options on the sewer rates and bring the matter back before the Council for discussion.

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In April 2025, the city proposed increasing rates to $950 per year starting in July 2025. The sewer rate for most property owners at the time was $239.

Following massive response from residents, the city rescinded the Proposition 218 notice for the proposed rate and canceled the public hearing in the same month.

According to the city clerk, the city didn’t receive over 50% of protest ballots from property owners. The city sent out 106,000 notices to each parcel and received 1,179 protests, said City Manager Christian Clegg.

During the regular meeting Wednesday, the City Council heard protests from several members of the community for its second and final public hearing on the proposed rates.

Eleven individuals spoke in opposition of the proposed rates, many saying those living with fixed income or in poverty will suffer an additional financial burden on top of their existing challenges. They asked the city to consider other options.

Some residents expressed their lack of faith in how the city is using taxpayer dollars to operate and do maintenance work on the wastewater treatment plants.

Claire Collins, a wastewater rate attorney representing Kern County, said her “team of experts” found a 20-36% increase could be enough to achieve the same goals outlined by the city.

Collins said a much lower rate increase could be made possible by financing infrastructure through revenue bonds.

Vice Mayor Manpreet Kaur said she was against approving the proposed increase.

“Families are hurting at home,” Kaur said. “That’s the truth, that’s the honest truth, every single family across Bakersfield and Kern County, and as a city … we are the stewards of taking care of our community.”

The city proposed a five-year rate increase plan. The current annual sewer rate of $247.13 would have jumped to $475 in the first fiscal year, before going up by $100 each year until it reaches $875 per year in fiscal year 2030-2031.

The sewer rate is collected on the property tax bill each year.

The increase is meant to help fund the upgrade of Bakersfield’s outdated Wastewater Treatment Plant 2 and expand its aging Plant 3, according to city officials.

Over a dozen community members — including Bakersfield property owners and the county of Kern — went to the first hearing in April to oppose the proposed rates.

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