The Turlock City Council will hold a public hearing Tuesday on a proposed water rate increase that would see customers’ bills almost double over the next five years. The Council voted on Sept. 26 to proceed with property owner notification requirements for the consideration of increasing water rates in an effort to fund needed treatment on the City’s current groundwater wells, and help fund a new surface water treatment plant. On-again, off-again talk of building a surface water plant for Turlock and neighboring communities dates back three decades.