Residents of Half Moon Bay could face higher sewer rates after a judge ruled against the city last week in a dispute over who should pay more than $25 million to replace a water pipeline.

On Tuesday, Aug. 12, Judge Julia Alloggiamento of the Santa Clara County Superior Court ruled in favor of Granada Community Services District and Montara Water and Sanitary District in a dispute between Half Moon Bay and the agencies over who is responsible for paying to replace the intertie pipeline, which transports wastewater from Granada and Montara to SAM’s treatment plant.

“While we have great respect for the court, the City of Half Moon Bay is disappointed in the judge’s ruling,” said the city in a news release. “The City is now considering how best to proceed, including whether to appeal to the Court of Appeal in San Jose.”

Half Moon Bay City Manager Matthew Chidester said the decision will mean the city will be paying for 62% of the new pipeline.

“We believe the ruling will also disincentivize Montara and El Granada from making cost-efficient infrastructure decisions if they know Half Moon Bay ratepayers will pick up 62 percent of the tab,” said Chidester.

According to the city, since 2017, Half Moon Bay has been hoping the court would protect the city’s ratepayers from footing the cost of the system of pipes and pump stations that carry wastewater to the Sewer Authority Mid-Coastside (SAM) treatment plant in Half Moon Bay, “a pipeline system which does not serve Half Moon Bay ratepayers,” said the city.

“We think the JPA model needs either to be radically revised to reflect current regulations and Proposition 218 cost-benefit nexus rules or be replaced with a special district that consolidates the three agencies,” said Chidester. “Multiple grand juries have recommended consolidation under a special district. The upside of a special district is that Coastside residents would pay the same rates, the district could take advantage of financing of major infrastructure projects to come, offer lifeline rates to seniors and low-income residents, and govern through district elections.”

If the ruling stands, the city will move forward with rate increases to pay for the cost to replace the intertie pipeline, they said.

Katy St. Clair got her start in journalism by working in the classifieds department at the East Bay Express during the height of alt weeklies, then sweet talked her way into becoming staff writer, submissions editor, and music editor. She has been a columnist in the East Bay Express, SF Weekly, and the San Francisco Examiner. Starting in 2015, she begrudgingly scaled the inverted pyramid at dailies such as the Vallejo Times-Herald, The Vacaville Reporter, and the Daily Republic. She has her own independent news site and blog that covers the delightfully dysfunctional town of Vallejo, California, where she also collaborates with the investigative team at Open Vallejo. A passionate advocate for people with developmental disabilities, she serves on both the Board of the Arc of Solano and the Arc of California. She lives in Vallejo.