Opinion and Commentary By Donna Westfall – May 24, 2026
We were part of a group of the public that attended the tour of the Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) last Thursday, May 21st.
We were deeply concerned about unresolved questions involving the financial basis for the doubling of the water/sewer rate increases, the lack of independent oversight, and longstanding infrastructure issues that have still not been adequately addressed.
The public has repeatedly requested greater transparency regarding:
• Millions of dollars reportedly spent on wastewater treatment and capital improvements;
• Expansion-related costs that may legally belong to developers rather than existing ratepayers under Proposition 218;
• Missing or destroyed public records concerning infrastructure expansion and financing;
• Reliance upon consultant reports without independent verification;
• And the continuing rainwater inflow problem that reportedly overwhelms the wastewater treatment system during major storms.
City Manager, Eric Wier and Austin Nova, plant manager, spent nearly two hours with us with explanations, answering questions and going over the diagram of the plant.
But when it came time for the physical tour of the plant, nothing was pointed out about the millions of dollars spent for capital improvements which was one of the main points of the tour.
We found out that 6 million gallons of water can flow through the plant on days when the rain is heavy and the plant cannot handle it. Part of the problem is leaky pipes. Usually smoke or camera’s are employed by sending them through the piping to detect leaks. But this has not been done in nearly 20 years. We have to wonder why.
Because there are still so many unanswered questions, a lot of the public are requesting that the water/sewer rate increase be postponed.
You can look for and still sign Prop 218 protest petitions around town: Mail Room, Torero’s, By My Hand, Smoke Shop, Jody Mangum – Acupuncturist, St. Vincent De Paul Thrift Store, Arts BBQ, Enoteca and our house 937 J St.
Mark your calendar and come to the HEARING on June 1st. It will be held at 6 pm at the Flynn Center.
