The Vacaville City Council decided not to raise water rates for the time being, as councilmembers railed against a state mandate to lower levels of toxic hexavalent chromium (Chromium 6) in the city’s water supply. On a 6-0 vote Tuesday night, the council directed staff to pursue alternatives and bring the decision back to the council at a later date. … The council accepted 1,110 written protests from the community, but more than 16,000 would have been needed to override the council’s ability to vote in accordance with state law. … The vote went against city staff’s recommendation to increase rates, as the city cannot continue to pay for its water system at the current rates. Even without state mandates to reduce the level of Chromium 6 in the water supply, the city would need to increase rates, according to Utilities Director Justen Cole and Chris Fischer of Wildan Financial Services, an outside firm hired to help the city conduct an assessment of its rates.