Civic Issues
Topics getting the most attention in Riverside public meetings, ranked by how frequently they are discussed.
4 issues in water utilities with high priority
Sewer Services Five-year Rate Plan through 2031
Nine years without sewer rate increases left the fund near a debt-coverage crisis. The proposed plan starts with a smaller bump in January 2027, then annual increases through 2031 to fix aging pipes, avoid spills like the $6.5 million ruptures since 2016, and fund $380 million in needed projects.
Substation transformer procurement and capital work orders
The board approved a $3.45 million project replacing aging poles, wires, and transformers on the northside to prep Circuit 26 for the faster 12kV system. Hunter Substation is 60-65% done, with commissioning in early 2027 and full cut-over by mid-2027.
Booster station power distribution improvements
The board approved $227,000 in work orders to upgrade power distribution at four water booster stations — Lemona, Cook, Mockingbird, and Jefferson — plus an $86,500 tank recoating contract at the energy center.
2027 Electric Resource Adequacy Plan
Riverside filed its annual plan showing it has enough power capacity — system, local, and flexible — to meet 2027 grid reliability requirements at the lowest cost. Staff also flagged coming CAISO rule changes that could devalue short-duration battery resources.