Editor:

I normally do not write complaint letters – but since moving to Brentwood from San Leandro, have been really perturbed and mystified at the cost of water in Brentwood. For almost 21 years in San Leandro, my water bill for two or three people from EBMUD usually ran about $45 for three months. But here in Brentwood, my water bill for one month for two people is almost $85, and there is an unheard of item called “sewer usage” charge of over $40.

The explanation from the City of Brentwood was for anything that goes down the sewer (duh, where is it going to go?) and that some water districts charge this monthly and some via other means; i.e., property tax, etc.

Well, in 21 years with EBMUD I never had a sewer usage amount on my bill nor did I get a separate bill for it. If you calculate an approximate $500 per year for some 52,000 people in Brentwood just for the sewer usage fee – that’s a lot of money. What is it used for and why is it so high?

I like this little community a lot and have been visiting since 2003, but I think the water bills are way too high, not to mention that we also have to have a salt purification system and cost of salt (not needed for EBMUD water). A little investigation on this is in order.

Kay Martinez, Brentwood