Rate Changes

Domestic Water Rate ChangesReservoir_4605-2

The CVWD Board of Directors adopted new domestic water rates on June 13, 2023, for fiscal year 2023-2024.

New rates go into effect on July 1, 2023, and are reflected on August bills for water use in July. See rates here.

Cost of Service 

  • Inflation is a major factor in the rate increase as energy, materials, and construction costs rise. New rates include budget expenditures for the fiscal year including system upgrades and capital improvement projects to continue to provide safe and reliable services to customers.
  • Domestic rates paid by customers also contribute to the costs of providing customer service, operating wells and reservoirs, maintaining pipelines and replenishing aquifers.
  • Capital improvements are needed to repair and replace assets such as pipelines, pumps, valves, etc. These investments help the District maintain uninterrupted service to all customers.

New rates are based on the 5-year Domestic Water Cost of Service Study performed by a third-party consultant to determine adjustments to the rate structure and increase for domestic water service charges. 

Under California Proposition 218 law, CVWD can only charge customers the proportional costs of delivering water service. The District cannot earn a profit.

Sewer Service Rate ChangesSewer access hole or point

CVWD’s Board of Directors adopted new sewer service rates on June 13, 2023, for the fiscal year 2023-2024.

The new rates go into effect on July 1, 2023, and are reflected on August bills for domestic water use in July. 
See rates here. 

  • Most residential customers are billed for sewer service on their property tax bills. 
  • Commercial customers receive a monthly bill.
  • Residential customers will see a $0.14 increase in their monthly account charge and a $2.12 increase in the monthly service charge per Equivalent Sewer Unit (ESU). The typical home is considered 1 ESU.
  • RV/Trailer Park and Nonresidential customers will see at $0.38 increase on the monthly account charge and a $2.12 increase in the monthly service charge per ESU.
  • Nonresidential ESUs are assigned based on an estimate of sewage production which is calculated based on the 3-year average water use, adjusted by the amount of water returned to the sewer.

Cost of Service

  • CVWD makes every effort to keep rates reasonable while maintaining and upgrading the system to provide customers with safe and reliable sewer services.
  • Inflation is a significant factor in the rate increase as energy, materials, and construction costs rise. New rates include budget expenditures for the fiscal year, including system upgrades and capital improvement projects to continue providing safe and reliable services to customers.
  • Sanitation rates paid by customers also contribute to paying for treating more than 6.2 billion gallons of water annually, cleaning and inspecting sewer lines and increasing the use of recycled water.

Under California Proposition 218, public government water agencies can only charge customers the cost of providing sewer service. Public water agencies cannot earn a profit.

New  rates are based on the 5-year Sanitation Cost of Service Study.