Maintaining Low Rates

Fiscal Responsibility. Your Wastewater District practices fiscal responsibility, striving to provide the highest quality of service at the lowest reasonable cost.

Comparatively Low Rates. Among the many cities, special districts, and county agencies that provide wastewater services, we are among the very lowest in the county.

Fairness Policy: Pay Only For Benefit Received. Fees are based on the cost to provide service. Current users pay only for the costs to maintain the current system and not for facilities needed to accommodate future growth. The cost of future facilities is paid for by developers through capacity fees. Customers pay only for the actual cost of their service. Rates are based on two factors: the quantity of flow and its strength (cost to process in the treatment plant).

Flow. Rates are based on Equivalent Dwelling Units or EDUs. One EDU is equal to the typical water use by a single-family home.

Strength. Domestic sewage produced by residential customers is the standard against which higher strength commercial and industrial sewage discharges are measured. A restaurant, for example, has stronger sewage than an office (due to the grease, food waste, and detergents in the wash water) and therefore a higher EDU rating and charge.

We reduced wastewater collection fees Four Times since 1993. Rates are collected on property tax bills twice a year.