Water bills in Pleasanton have seen repeated and significant increases, resulting in financial hardship for many residents. In 2024 and 2025, water rates increased 30% and 12% increase respectively. The high cost of water is disproportionately affecting low-income families and seniors, who are more likely to struggle with paying for essential utilities.

 Many families are being forced to make difficult decisions about their household budgets, sometimes at the cost of basic needs like food and heating.

Previously, the Pleasanton City Council approved the purchase of 3.18 acres of land from the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission for $4.2 million in December 2016. However, they missed out on accessing the highly rated San Francisco Water System.

The San Francisco Water System delivers some of the highest quality water in the country, being drinkable at the source. This means that Pleasanton can reduce its treatment costs, reducing prices. In addition, its large and resilient reserves can protect Pleasanton from price fluctuations due to drought. For these reasons, the San Francisco Water System is much more economical than the current Zone 7 Water Agency.

San Francisco already delivers water to other Bay Area cities through the Bay Area Water Supply and Conservation Agency, meaning that there are very few barriers to switching. We call for Pleasanton to source their water from San Francisco, leading to cheaper and more stable prices.

image from SOL DE MEDIANOCHE news