Item 08 - Water and Sewer Rate Adjustments

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How Can 1 Participate? The City of Santa Ana welcomes your participation and input throughout the process as it considers the proposed rate changes explained in this Notice. If you have questions or comments about the proposed rates, you can: 0 CALL OR VISIT. For questions, please visit us at City Hall, 20 Civic Center Plaza, Santa Ana or call: 714-647-3320. The cost -of -service study and other information on the proposed adjustments are available for review at the City of Santa Ana's Public Works Agency and on our website: santaanautilityrates.com. WRITE. Written protests may be mailed to The City of Santa Ana, Attention: City L� Clerk, P.O. Box 1988, M30, Santa Ana, CA 92701, or delivered in person to City Hall located at 20 Civic Center Plaza, Santa Ana. Written protests shall include the name, property address and signature of the person submitting the protest. Only one written protest per parcel will be counted. Oral protests and protests submitted by email or other electronic means do not count as formal written protests. tSUBMIT A LEGAL OBJECTION. Owners of properties affected by the proposed © rate changes, as well as tenants who will be directly responsible for paying the charges, may file a legal objection against the proposed adjustments. Written legal objections must include the following information to be valid: • Your name, parcel number and/or service address and signature • Indicate that the submission is a legal objection • Specify the rate or charge for which the objection is being submitted • Specify the grounds for alleging the City of Santa Ana's noncompliance with Proposition 218 or other legal requirements. Please note that the specified grounds must be sufficiently detailed to allow the City of Santa Ana to determine whether alterations to the proposed rates are needed. By way of example, an objection stating a proposed rate change violates Proposition 218, without explaining the basis for this claim, is insufficient for the purpose of exhaustion of administrative remedies. Written objections may be mailed to The City of Santa Ana, Attention: City Clerk, P.O. Box 1988, M-30, Santa Ana, CA 92701, or delivered in person to City Hall at 20 Civic Center Plaza. Objections submitted by email or other electronic means will not be accepted as formal written objections. The written basis supporting the proposed rates can be found at the following website: santaanautilityrates.com. Additionally, any property owner may request a mailed copy of the written basis by contacting the City Clerk's office at (714) 647-6520. In order to be valid, a written objection must be received by the City Clerk before 5 p.m., March 10, 2026. Failure to submit an objection on time will bar any right to challenge the water and/or sewer charges through a legal proceeding. Additionally, there is a 120-day statute of limitations for challenging all water, sewer, and recycled water charges should the proposed rate changes be adopted, which commences the day the proposed rates are adopted. O ATTEND THE PUBLIC HEARING. Written protests may also be submitted at V the Public Hearing on Tuesday, March 17, 2026 at 5:30 p.m., or thereafter in the City Council Chambers at 20 Civic Center Plaza, Santa Ana, CA 92701. All members of the public will have an opportunity to speak and give testimony regarding the proposed water, sewer, and recycled water rate changes at the Public Hearing; however, only written protests will count toward a majority protest. Written protests must be received before the conclusion of the Public Hearing. PUBLIC HEARING PROCESS: At the time of the Public Hearing, the City Council will hear and consider all protests and objections to the proposed adjustments. Protests submitted by email or other electronic means do not count as formal written protests; oral comments do not qualify as a formal protest unless accompanied by a written protest. Upon conclusion of the hearing, the City Council will evaluate the protests and objections and consider the adoption of the proposed rates and charges. The City Council is authorized to adopt proposed rates and charges if written protests against the proposed rates and charges, as outlined above, do not represent at least a majority of identified parcels subject to the proposed rates and charges. If adopted as proposed, the adjusted rates and charges will become effective on May 1, 2026. 7