In order to properly maintain the City's sanitary sewer system (approximately 37 miles of sewer mains) and prevent system leakages and overflows, the City Council approved an annual Sewer Service Charge on June 23, 2015 to be levied on property tax bills.  Annual increases are based on the Consumer Price Index (CPI) capped at maximum of 2% per year for a five-year period through June 30, 2020. A public hearing is held prior to each fiscal year (July 1st to June 30th) for the City Council to consider an annual engineer's report and set the annual rate adjustment.

Sewer service charges are often collected as part of water & sewer utility bills, but as Hermosa Beach's provider California Water Service only provides water service, the City must collect revenue in order to fund sewer system maintenance including replacement and lining of sewer mains and maintenance hole rehabilitation. For more information, please see the City's Sewer Master Plan.

For sewer system maintenance or sanitary sewer overflows, please contact Public Works at (310) 318-0214 or submit a work request via the City's Go Hermosa app.  For urgent requests, please call (after hours/weekend calls may be called into the Police non-emergency dispatch line at (310) 524-2750). Property owners are responsible for the sewer lateral from their property to the sewer main. The sewer lateral must be replaced if damaged or in poor condition (Public Works permit is required for repair and replacement).

Learn how your sewer service dollars are being used.

Sewer Service Charge - FY 2023/24 - July 11, 2023 (+5.0%)

• Staff Report & Rates per Equivalent Service Unit (ESU).

Sewer Service Charge - FY 2022/23 - July 12, 2022 (+5.0%)

• Staff Report & Rates per Equivalent Service Unit (ESU).

Sewer Service Charge - FY 2021/22 - May 31, 2021 (0.0%)

• Staff Report & Rates per Equivalent Service Unit (ESU).

Sewer Service Charge - FY 2020/21 - May 26, 2020 (+2.0%)

• Staff Report & Rates per Equivalent Service Unit (ESU).

Sewer Service Charge - FY 2019/20 - May 28, 2019 (+2.0%)

• Staff Report & Rates per Equivalent Service Unit (ESU)

Sewer Service Charge - FY 2018/19 - May 22, 2018 (+2.0%)

• Staff Report & Rates per Equivalent Service Unit (ESU)

Sewer Service Charge - FY 2017/18 - May 23, 2017 (+2.0%)

• Staff Report & Rates per Equivalent Service Unit (ESU)

Sewer Service Charge - FY 2016/2017 - May 24, 2016 (+1.7%)

• Staff Report & Rates per Equivalent Service Unit (ESU)  

Adoption of Sewer Service Charge - June 23, 2015

• Staff Report - Adoption of Annual Sewer Service Charge
• RESO 15-6972 Adoption of Sewer Service Charge for FY 2015-16
• RESO 15-6954 Approval of Engineer's Report for Proposed Sewer Service Charge and Setting of the Majority Protest Hearing
• Ordinance 15-1355 Adding A New Chapter 13.12 to the Municipal Code Regarding the Sewer Service Charge
• Proposed Sewer Service Charge Frequently Asked Questions
• Sewer Service Charge Presentation Q&A