Lodi Considers Changing Sewer Billing: Add March to Winter Use and Drop the Highest Month

LODI, San Joaquin County — October 31, 2026. A proposed revision to how Lodi calculates certain household sewer bills is scheduled for further public consideration. The October 21 City Council agenda included a request to set a November 4, 2026 public hearing on amending the municipal code’s rules for domestic metered sewer service charges.

How does the current system work?

Under the method described in City Council file 26-448, on July 1 each year the city resets applicable wastewater billing based on average water use in the preceding December, January and February. Officials use winter use because outdoor irrigation is expected to be lower, making the water-meter reading a better proxy for water that actually enters the sewer system.

What would change?

Public Works proposes looking at four months — December, January, February and March, discarding the month with the highest usage, then averaging the remaining three. Staff says this would account for seasonal weather variation. It is a change to the calculation basis, not automatically a reduction of the overall sewer rate charged per unit of use.

Would every household pay less?

Not established. The proposal could affect different accounts in different ways depending on actual monthly usage. The agenda file does not provide a complete household-by-household bill comparison or prove that an ordinance has taken effect. The Legistar record displayed the item as Agenda Ready; final council action and any later effective date must be checked before billing claims are made.

When can residents comment?

The agenda recommendation was to hold a public hearing on Wednesday, November 4, 2026. Residents should check the City of Lodi’s latest meeting agenda for confirmation of the hearing, participation arrangements and any amendments to the draft text.

Customers seeking to understand potential changes can compare their own four winter monthly meter readings, while recognizing that billing also involves officially adopted rates and rules for their account class. For questions, contact Lodi Public Works or the city utility billing office.

Primary source: City of Lodi Council file 26-448, prepared for October 21, 2026, concerning a proposed November 4 hearing and domestic metered sewer charges. No new ordinance enactment or promised savings is asserted.

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