Fullerton residents will be paying more for water

Residents in Fullerton pay more for their water over the next four years, as the city upgrades its aging infrastructure.

“Digging those trenches is expensive. It’s not easy,” Mayor Jesus Silva said as the City Council approved the rate increases – Councilman Bruce Whitaker opposed. “We need to move forward. We need to get our city in better traction.”

The rate structure will also change, so people will pay more as a fixed fee that isn’t tied to water usage. That means people who use less water or have bigger water meters will experience more of an increase.

On July 1, bills will increase by 15 percent on average. In subsequent years rates will go up on July 1 until 2023. By then, residents will pay nearly 60 percent more for their water than they do now.

Officials have said the city’s system of piping has had about 100 breaks a year. Most of the city’s water infrastructure is aging, many pipes are beyond their useful life and the city needs more money for replacements and repairs, officials said.