Rates and Fees

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Water and Sewer Rates and Fees

CMUD delivers safe, reliable water and sewer services at a competitive price. Rates compare very favorably against existing rates for other systems across the southern U.S.

An annual rate increase helps pay debt from construction projects as well as increases in the costs for power and chemicals critical to operating the department. The proposed increase starts on July 1, 2013.

Residential Water Rates

                                       Before July 1, 2013                Proposed July 1, 2013

Tier 1 (1-4 ccf)                  $1.09                 $1.20

Tier 2 (5-8 ccf)                  $2.18             $2.40

Tier 3 (9-16 ccf)                  $3.81             $4.30

Tier 4 (over 16 ccf)                  $5.96               $6.76

Sewer Charges                  $4.32             $4.46

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Irrigation Meter Rates

	Before July 1, 2012	Starting July 1, 2012
Tier 3 (1-16 ccf)	$3.81	$4.30
Tier 4 (17+ ccf)	$5.96	$6.76

*** Effective July 1, 2012, Irrigation meter customers with approved Smart Irrigation technology qualify to keep all water usage charges at Tier 3.

Commercial or Non-Residential Rates

	Before July 1, 2013	Proposed July 1, 2013
per Ccf	$2.33	$2.46
Sewer Charges	$4.32	$4.46

Sewer Only Residential Fee

A monthly bill for sewer only services is $41.52.

Availability Fees

These fees apply to both water and sewer. They help CMUD pay for water and sewer projects as well as reduce the impact of consumption changes due to weather. The fees vary based on the size of a customer’s meter.

These fees are calculated daily and are prorated based on the number of days of service on the bill.
A standard residential customer has a 5/8-inch meter and will have a proposed fee of $2.47 per 30-day billing period for water and a fee of $4.56 per 30-day billing period for sewer.

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Common Terms

Availability Fees: These fees apply to both water and sewer. They help CMUD pay for water and sewer projects as well as reduce the impact of consumption changes due to weather. The fees vary based on the size of a customer’s meter.

These fees are calculated daily and are prorated based on the number of days of service on the bill.
A standard residential customer has a 5/8-inch meter and will have a fee of $2.41 per 30-day billing period for water and a fee of $4.56 per 30-day billing period for sewer.

Ccf: An abbreviation representing 100 cubic feet. This is a unit of measure which equals 748 gallons.

Fixed Fees: The fixed fees for both water and sewer recover the cost of servicing accounts, such as the cost of meter reading and billing. The fixed fee charges are $2.46 per 30-day billing period for water and $2.46 per 30-day billing period for sewer. These fees are calculated daily and prorated based on days of service.

Irrigation Meter: A separate meter that supplies water only to an outdoor irrigation system. Water used through an irrigation meter is not subject to sewer usage charges and is billed beginning at the Tier 3 water usage rate.

Sewer Cap: A residential customer’s sewer usage is not metered. The sewer charge is based on metered water usage each month. The sewer cap is the maximum amount of water usage upon which customers are charged sewer fees. It is assumed that water use in excess of the sewer cap is used primarily for irrigation or other outdoor purposes and does not return to the sewer system.

Water Usage Rates: Vary based on the amount of water used and are divided into four tiers. Usage is measured in Ccf. Seventy-five percent of residential customers use 8 Ccf or less each month on average.