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Rates
RESIDENTIAL CUSTOMERS
DRINKING (POTABLE) WATER - COMMODITY CHARGE
DRINKING (POTABLE) WATER - FIXED MONTHLY BASE CHARGE
*Most customers have a 3/4 or 1" water meter.
WASTEWATER COMMODITY CHARGE & FIXED CHARGE ($/CCF)
Current Commodity Charge: $1.03
Proposed Commodity Charge: $0.95
Current Fixed Charge: $25.51
Proposed Fixed Charge: $29.38
POWER SURCHARGES (PER CCF)
Certain customers are in areas of the District that require more power to pump water for delivery. The District applies a Power Surcharge to cover the additional pumping costs.
WATER BUDGETS
Residential water budgets comprise both indoor and outdoor budgets. Each single-family residential customer is allocated a reasonable amount of water for their monthly use, split into indoor and outdoor water budgets. Each property has a water budget specific to its irrigable area.
Daily weather (Evapotranspiration, ET)
For residential customers, the rate structure for the commodity charge has four tiers. as of April 1, 2019. Residential customers who stay within their water budget remain in the first two tiers:
Tier 1: Indoor Budget*
Tier 2: Outdoor Budget*
Tier 3: 101-200%
Tier 4: 200+%
Tier Allocations for Multi-Family
IRRIGATION CUSTOMER
The District's water and wastewater rate structure contains three categories of charges:
Commodity Charge - cost to buy or produce water
Fixed Monthly Base Charge - costs for operations, facilities and capital
Power Surcharge - costs to pump water to the varying elevations in the service area
WATER BUDGETS
Potable and recycled water irrigation customers only have an outdoor budget. Outdoor budgets are billed at rates that recover the proportionally higher costs to produce and delivery water. Customers who exceed their outdoor budget are billed at higher rates associated with higher tiers depending on how much excess water is used.
IRRIGATION POTABLE/DOMESTIC - COMMODITY RATES
RECYCLED WATER - COMMODITY RATES
ALL IRRIGATION CUSTOMERS - FIXED MONTHLY CHARGES
ALL IRRIGATION CUSTOMERS - POWER SURCHARGES (PER CCF)
Certain customers are in areas of the District that require more power to pump water for delivery. The District applies a Power Surcharge to cover the additional pumping costs.
COMMERCIAL CUSTOMERS
The District's water and wastewater rate structure contains three categories of charges:
Commodity Charge - cost to buy or produce water
Fixed Monthly Base Charge - costs for operations, facilities and capital
Power Surcharge - costs to pump water to the varying elevations in the service area
POTABLE WATER - COMMODITY
POTABLE WATER - FIXED
WASTEWATER - COMMODITY
WASTEWATER - FIXED
POWER SURCHARGES (PER CCF)
Certain customers are in areas of the District that require more power to pump water for delivery. The District applies a Power Surcharge to cover the additional pumping costs.
WATER & WASTEWATER WHOLESALE PASS THROUGH
The District buys wholesale water, receives wastewater treatment, and purchases power from outside agencies and vendors. We are subject to changes in the pricing for these services.
- Potable water is purchased from the Municipal Water District of Orange County (MWDOC) which purchases its water from the Metropolitan Water of District of Southern California (MET).
- Wholesale wastewater treatment from South Orange County Wastewater Authority (SOCWA) and other regional services.
- Energy is purchased from San Diego Gas & Electric and Southern California Edison.
Santa Margarita Water District anticipates that rates it pays for wholesale water, wastewater, and energy will increase over the next five years. Increases that the District incurs will be passed through to its customers.
WHAT HAVE WE DONE TO REDUCE COSTS?
- Reduced energy costs by $400,000 with solar array
- Reduced operational costs by $500,000 through operational and technology efficiencies
- Reduced imported water costs by $2 million by using recycled water