Homeowners in Lafayette, Moraga, and Orinda will pay $784 in annual sewer service charges on their next Contra Costa County property tax bill, a $30 jump over the current year. The Central Contra Costa Sanitary District board held a public hearing Thursday, July 23, on placing the fiscal year 2026-27 charges on the tax roll for collection.
The rates themselves were locked in more than a year ago. The July 23 hearing at Central San's offices in Martinez is the final procedural step required under state law before the district can collect through property tax bills.
What Lamorinda residents will pay
The rates, set by Ordinance No. 339, break down by property type:
- Single-family homes: $784 per year (up from $754 in FY 2025-26)
- Apartments, condos, duplexes, and mobile homes: $650 per unit (up from $625)
- Accessory dwelling units: $348 (up from $335)
Commercial properties also see increases. Low-strength commercial users such as retail stores, offices, and churches will pay $8.44 per hundred cubic feet, up from $8.12. Restaurants, supermarkets, and hotels rise to $14.08 per hundred cubic feet, up from $13.54.
Why rates are rising
Looming nitrogen regulations are the biggest cost driver. The San Francisco Bay Regional Water Quality Control Board requires Bay Area wastewater agencies to cut nitrogen discharges to the Bay by 40%, according to a Danville San Ramon news report. Central San has estimated compliance costs between $500 million and $700 million, the report said.
General Manager Roger S. Bailey said in July 2025, when the first year of the two-year rate schedule took effect, that the district's priorities include "replacing aging infrastructure, advancing energy efficiency and recycled water solutions, and meeting emerging regulatory requirements — in particular, new more stringent limits on nitrogen."
Beyond nitrogen compliance, the district plans to replace aging pipes and pumping stations, rehabilitate solids handling facilities, and renovate aeration basins. Central San operates more than 1,500 miles of sewer pipes serving Lafayette, Moraga, Orinda, Walnut Creek, Pleasant Hill, and several other Contra Costa County communities.
How the rates got here
California Health and Safety Code requires a three-step process: the board adopts rates by ordinance, approves a budget, then holds a noticed public hearing before placing charges on the county tax roll.
The board unanimously adopted the two-year rate schedule on May 22, 2025. All five members voted yes: President Florence T. Wedington, President Pro Tem Barbara D. Hockett, Jean F. Kuznik, Michael R. McGill, and Tad J. Pilecki. The board then adopted the FY 2026-27 budget at a public hearing on June 4, 2026. Thursday's hearing completed the final step.
What's next
The charges will appear as a line item on Contra Costa County property tax bills mailed later this year. Residents with questions can contact District Secretary Katie Young at (925) 229-7303. Based on its regular schedule of first and third Thursdays, the board's next meeting is Thursday, August 7.
