BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET) — Some residents in parts of west Bakersfield could see their annual sewer rates climbing up to over $1,000 in a few years.

The Kern County Board of Supervisors is set to hold public hearings next month for proposed rate increases for unincorporated areas in parts of west Bakersfield following the city’s recent approval of a five-year sewer rate hike plan.

During the regular 2 p.m. meeting Tuesday, the Board approved setting July 28 as the public hearing date on sewer rates in a 3-2 vote. Board Chair Phillip Peters and District 5 Supervisor Leticia Perez voted no.

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The Board is also expected to make the final decision on the proposed sewer service charge increases on the same day after the hearing ends.

The increase is based on Bakersfield’s five-year sewer rate increase plan starting in fiscal year 2026-2027, approved by the City Council in a 5-2 vote in May.

While County Service Areas 71, 71.1, 71.2 and 71.3 use sewer operations and maintenance services provided by Kern Sanitation Authority, the city of Bakersfield provides sewer trunkline collection and wastewater treatment of the sewer.

The city charges the CSAs for the services, which are passed onto the residents in these areas, according to the agenda.

Property owners in these CSAs are currently charged $295 per year. The four CSAs include 630 properties, with 575 of them residential, according to Champlin.

The proposed annual rate increase schedules for single-family homes in each service area are as follows:

The county is looking to add county-only costs of service on top of the city-adopted rates for each CSA.

To watch the county’s presentation explaining the cost calculations, click here.

The calculated rates are different for each CSA because each area has different features that may cost more to maintain, according to Kern County Public Works Director Joshua Champlin. For example, CSA 71.3 operates one lift station, which contributed to the higher rate that would be assessed.

If approved, the affected property owners would start paying those rates 30 days after the public hearing, Public Works spokesperson Gutierrez said. The increased sewer service charges would be collected in the upcoming bi-annual property tax bill.

“The … proposed service charge increase is necessary to cover the costs associated with CSA sewer maintenance, increased city sewer/treatment rates and offset general inflation that is being reflected in rising operational expenses,” county officials said in the agenda.

The increases also include the city’s sewer rate as “pass-through costs” to avoid financial liability, according to officials.

Peters said the Board has already voted down a proposed Proposition 218 hearing process for the same matter back in March and that supervisors shouldn’t be voting on it again.

“It was not the right thing to do then and it’s not the right thing to do now, in my opinion,” said Peters, saying the city adopting the increased rates was “not a good move” and that the county will continue pushing back.

District 3 Supervisor Jeff Flores said costs will be going up no matter what, and while he doesn’t want to see rates going up, the county was not the “genesis” for the increase.

He said if someone had to bear the increase in cost, those receiving the sewer service should be responsible for paying rather than the unrelated taxpayers in Kern.

“I’m unhappy with the decision that was made by the city of Bakersfield,” said District 4 Supervisor David Couch.

He said he understands the city’s needs to raise rates, but that the city didn’t handle it in a way the county and the Board would have. He hopes the city will lower the rate increase before it gets placed on the property tax rolls.

Couch also said while he is willing to send notices out for a public hearing, he will not simply rubber-stamp the increase even if the county doesn’t receive enough protest ballots.

“This isn’t a situation that any of us want to be in — this is, again, a situation that was created by the city of Bakersfield,” Peters said.

Leading up to the Bakersfield City Council’s approval of the sewer rate increase, Kern County leaders have expressed their distaste for the proposed rate hike several times.

In February, Peters attended a City Council meeting to lay out his concerns of the potential burden on the ratepayers, and in later City Council meetings, the county sent a wastewater rate attorney to ask the city to use bonds to lower the proposed increased rate.

In March, the Board shut down efforts to hold a public hearing on adopting the city-proposed sewer service charge increase, with Flores calling it “fundamentally unfair” for Kern County taxpayers who would be affected.

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The county can’t impose the proposed five-year increase if the majority of affected property owners submit written protests against it.

The public hearings are scheduled to take place during the regular Board meeting at 2 p.m. Tuesday, July 28, at 1115 Truxtun Ave.

The Board also approved holding a public information meeting on the proposed increase on sewer service charges at 2 p.m. June 25 at the Public Services Building’s Conference Room 1A at 2700 M St.

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