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Changes to the Regional Connection Fees <br />As noted, DSRSD engaged the consulting firm of Black & Veatch to review if any changes <br />were needed in the regional connection fees that are used to expand either the regional <br />wastewater treatment or disposal facilities (through the Livermore-Amador Valley Water <br />Management Agency) (LAVWMA). The last study was performed in 2004. However, the <br />recommendations of that study were not adopted. The current regional connection fee of <br />$9,900 per single-family equivalent demand was established in September 1999. The <br />current fee has remained the same for the past nine years. <br />The current and proposed regional connection fee includes the cost of both the recent <br />expansion of DSRSD's wastewater treatment plant located in Pleasanton (known as the <br />Phase IV Expansion) and LAVWMA's Export Pipeline Expansion Project. The two projects <br />required the issuance of approximately $186 million in bonds. Approximately $50 million of <br />this debt is attributable to the replacement portion of these facilities. Therefore, the annual <br />debt service attributable to this portion of the project is included in the regional portion of <br />the sewer user rates charged bimonthly to Pleasanton sewer users. <br />The results of the study by Black & Veatch indicated that the connection fee should be <br />increased to $15,330. However, when the DSRSD Board recently considered this <br />increase, Braddock and Logan, a housing developer in the City of Dublin, protested the <br />proposed level of the increase in the regional sewer connection fee and asked for <br />additional information on the future capital projects that DSRSD had included and the <br />number of future connections to the system estimated in the study. Given that the current <br />fee of $9,900 was established in 1999, that the current study indicated it was inadequate, <br />and based upon advice from their legal counsel, the DSRSD Board elected to increase the <br />fee to $13,000 with the caveat that DSRSD would work with the representatives from <br />Braddock and Logan and DSRSD's sewer rate consultant (Black & Veatch) to address <br />concerns with the connection fee study raised by Braddock and Logan. <br />The DSRSD Board also adopted an ENR escalator to be applied annually to the portion of <br />the fee representing the DSRSD Regional component ($5,985). The remainder of the fee <br />($7,015) is collected to fund the LAVWMA pipeline and will not be escalated annually. The <br />following table presents the regional sewer connection fees approved on May 5, 2008 by <br />the DSRSD Board for implementation on July 1, 2008: <br />Page5of7 <br />