The City of Sacramento Department of Utilities is helping income-eligible Sacramento residents save up to $72 annually on their utility bills. The newly-launched Utility Rate Assistance Program (URAP) is designed to offset some of the recent water and wastewater rate increases that took effect last year by applying up to a $6 monthly bill credit to qualifying households. To qualify, residents must complete and submit a URAP application, available at www.cityofsacramento.org/utilities. Residents must also: • Be at or below 100-percent of the Federal Poverty Level (up to $23,050 for a family of four) • Occupy and be responsible for the utility bill for a single-family residence, condomini

Water and sewer rates will head skyward for Sacramento residents after July 1 – and will continue rising for three years – as the city tries to raise revenue needed to pay for infrastructure improvements. City Council members Angelique Ashby, Steve Cohn, Rob Fong, Jay Schenirer, Kevin McCarty and Darrell Fong voted in favor of the rate increases, which were recommended by the Utilities Rate Commission and the city Department of Utilities. City Councilwomen Sandy Sheedy and Bonnie Pannell were opposed. “Our current water rates are among the lowest in the region, in the state and in the nation,” City Manager John Shirey said Tuesday, “and they will remain that way with the proposed rate i

City officials are changing the city code on utility service billing which may result in lower rates for some residents. Some provisions of the code have not been touched in 20 years and city officials say the old language did not meet state health and safety codes. Shelle Smallwood, Utilities Department billing manager, told members of the city’s Law and Legislation committee Tuesday that the changes reflect updates that are consistent with current city practices and with the state code. Other than a potential rate reduction for a few customers, there does not appear to be any financial impact from the changes in the city code for other customers or for the city. In addition to clarify