Residents used a California Public Utilities Commission hearing Monday to press Suburban Water Systems on its proposed three-year rate case, with all four public commenters objecting to the request or urging closer scrutiny.
At the remote public participation hearing on April 13, assigned Administrative Law Judge Amit Nujan said Suburban Water Systems is seeking approval of its general rate case, Application No. 26-01-001, covering rates for 2027 through 2029. Nujan said the commission’s current schedule calls for a vote in the final quarter of 2026 and said written comments can still be submitted on the docket.
Commissioner Matthew Baker framed the case around affordability and utility service reliability. Baker said the utility is seeking authority to collect an additional $41 million from more than 300,000 customers in the greater Los Angeles area, and that residential bills could rise by nearly 20% in 2027 alone.
Public commenters focused on bill shock, conservation and spending transparency. Joshua Howland, a Whittier resident, said the proposal amounted to an “astronomical” increase and cited the utility’s 2020 financial statements in arguing that miscellaneous expenses and salaries deserved close review. John Liu, who said he lives in West Covina, said customers should not be penalized for conserving water and questioned the cost allocation for residential users. Brooke Talabera of Glendora made a similar point, saying residents had been encouraged to conserve for years. Richard Summers of La Mirada said he is retired and living on fixed income, and said his monthly water bill could rise by at least $32 by the end of the three-year period.
Nujan said the hearing transcript will be posted publicly, and he announced follow-up in-person hearings in Walnut on April 14 and Buena Park on April 15.
