A mailer began showing up in residents’ mailboxes in the City of Oakley and Bethel Island seeking a rate increase from the Ironhouse Sanitary District.
If approved, rates for a single-family home would jump from $934.18 annually today, to $1,221.61 in 2031. Ironhouse claims the average single family home will pay $2.65 per day – but its unclear which year or if its cumulative.
Potential Rates each year:
- 2026 – $934.18
- 2027 – $967.65
- 2028 – $1,028.13
- 2029 – $1,092.39
- 2030 – $1,160.67
- 2031 – $1,221.61
For the rate increase to move forward, Ironhouse only needs a 50%+ 1 vote. With more than 48,000 ratepayers, it would need more than 44,001 property owners to either submit in writing or email a protest letter.
At its February 17 meeting, the ISD Board approved the Proposition 218 notice. However, it was unclear if the item would return to the Board for approval of material before going to voters as Directors Angela Lowery and Dawn Morrow suggested several changes. Instead, the mailers went out without any other public input or director commentary.
“The staff published the Proposition 218 Notice approved by the Board 5-0 at the 2/17/26 Board meeting. No follow-up approval was required,” said General Manager Jean-Marc Petit.
Property owners now have until May 19, 2026 to submit a written/email a protest – which typically in this process, the District has received only around 20 protests in the past.
Petit added, mailers were scheduled to be delivered on or before March 20, however, the printer was efficient, and they mailed bulk rate via USPS to be more cost-effective. While the notices arrived sooner than expected, the entire process has been presented at public meetings. He said staff waited until the Notices were mailed before posting information on our rate website, which is now live.
Per Ironhouse Sanitary District, here is why they are requesting the rate increase (see document):
The Need for Rate Adjustments
The recent rate study identified a gap between revenues and increased costs of operating, maintaining, and upgrading the sewer system. To ensure financial stability and continued service reliability, additional rate adjustments are recommended:
- Fund essential treatment facility upgrades
- Repair & replace aging sewer infrastructure
- Address rising costs of materials and energy
- Comply with stringent regulations
- Cover unexpected expenses
Investing in the Future
The proposed rates will provide the necessary funding for these critical projects currently scheduled for the next five years:
Collection System – $23.9 million
- New 14-inch Forcemains – Build additional wastewater pipelines to improve reliability and ensure the system can handle higher flows during wet weather
- Pump Stations – Upgrade pump stations with a modern monitoring and control system to improve reliability, alarms, and response time.
- Pipe Renovations – Repair and replace aging sewer pipes to reduce leaks, prevent failures, and improve overall system reliability.
- Fleet Vehicles – Replace aging maintenance trucks, including a vacuum truck, dump truck, and boom truck, to support safe and reliable sewer system operations.
Water Recycling Facility – $24.5 million
- Biosolid Infrastructure Improvements – Construct new facilities and equipment to safely manage and process biosolids, improving reliability and environmental compliance.
- Influent System Improvements – Add new incoming wastewater piping and screening equipment to improve reliability and protect treatment facilities.
- Automation Improvements- Add a modern control system to improve reliability and response.
We operate 24 hours per day, 365 days a year, to meet our district’s mission of protecting the public and the environment. We manage our customers’ critical infrastructure. Ironhouse Sanitary District (ISD) manages more than $160 million in essential infrastructure that protects public health and the environment.
These systems operate 24/7 to support our community, including:
- 144 miles of gravity sewer pipelines
- 3,330 gravity structures, including manholes
- 32 wastewater pump lift stations
- 19 miles of pressurized forcemain pipelines and 52 forcemain structures
- 6 miles of effluent pipe
- 1 state-of-the-art Water Recycling Facility
- 1.1 MW solar photovoltaic system
- 1.5 MW solar photovoltaic system with batteries (planned expansion project)
We serve more than 48,000 residents in Oakley and Bethel Island. Ironhouse Sanitary District must ensure that its infrastructure remains reliable, compliant, and efficient. We conducted several long-term financial planning studies over the past several years, which allows us to:
- Determined where to invest in system upgrades
- Meet current and upcoming regulations
- Prepare for unexpected challenges
- Maintain affordability for ratepayers
- Protect public health and the environment
- Plan for future growth of the community
Without careful planning, the resilience and safety of our sewer system could be compromised.
HOW TO SUBMIT A WRITTEN OBJECTION OR WRITTEN PROTEST
Any objection OR protest must: (1) be in writing identifying the name of the property owner, and the street address or other clear identification of the property subject to the rates; (2) be signed by the property owner, unless sent by the property owner via email (subject to verification by ISD); (3) comply with the relevant requirements for a written objection or written protest (as outlined below).
NOTE: As used in this Notice, the phrase “property owner” includes a tenant who is obligated to pay the sewer rate. The main differences between an objection and a protest is the deadline for timely submission; and the additional information required for a timely written objection.
TIMELY WRITTEN PROTESTS
A written protest must clearly state that the property owner opposes the rate increases. To be considered timely, a written protest must be received by ISD via a “SUBMITTAL LOCATION” listed here, prior to the close of the public testimony portion of the May 19, 2026, Public Hearing. Any timely written objection submitted (see right) will also be considered to be a timely written protest.
Only one protest will be counted per parcel. Owners of multiple parcels may file one protest for each parcel owned within the ISD service area. If timely written protests are received from owners of a majority of parcels within the ISD’s service area, the proposed rate increases will not be implemented.
TIMELY WRITTEN OBJECTIONS
A timely written objection must specify the grounds for alleging that the proposed rates do not comply with Prop. 218. ISD has documented how the proposed rates comply with Prop 218 in the Utility Rate Setting Procedures ( see Section 3(c)), posted at: IronhouseSanitaryDistrict.com/sewerrates.
The deadline for written objections is May 4, 2026 at 5 p.m. To be considered timely, such objection must be received by ISD via a “SUBMITTAL LOCATION” listed on this page, prior to the deadline.
SUBMITTAL LOCATIONS:
Mail: 450 Walnut Meadows Drive, Oakley, CA 94561
Email: [email protected]
In Person: 450 Walnut Meadows Drive, Oakley, CA 94561
If adopted, the proposed rates will take effect beginning July 1, 2026. The reasons for the rate adjustments, the basis upon which they were calculated, and the amount of the proposed rates are described in more detail in the Rate Study prepared by Raftelis, dated March 17, 2026, and posted at : IronhouseSanitaryDistrict.com/sewerrates, and available appointments at the ISD office. To schedule an appointment, please call (925) 6252279 or send emails to [email protected]
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