HomeMy WebLinkAbout2012 Rate Increase Notice - Commercial Sewer ServiceNOTICE OF INCREASED SEWER RATES AND CHARGES EFFECTIVE ON
SEWER SERVICE BEGINNING IN JANUARY 2012
Dear Customer,
An overall rate increase of 7.5% was approved by the Otay Water District’s (the
“District”) Board of Directors as part of the annual budget adoption process completed in
May 2011. The new sewer rates and charges will apply to service billed beginning February
1, 2012 and, depending on your billing cycle, may apply to service as early as the beginning
of January 2012. This letter provides a 30-day prior notice of rate increases.
The District is a revenue neutral public agency. Your sewer bill reflects only those
charges sufficient to support your sewer service. To continue providing sewer services, the
District must adjust its rates for service, implement certain rate increases and pass-through
higher costs to its customers based on rate changes from the District’s sewage treatment
and disposal providers. For instance, while the County of San Diego decreased its rates for
service, this positive action was offset by a 9.4% increase from the City of San Diego for
wastewater disposal.
On August 24, 2009 the District adopted a five-year schedule of rates in compliance with
applicable provisions of law. The rate increases herein noticed reflect a pass-through
increase of 7.5%. One hundred percent of this increase is the result of higher service rates
for wastewater disposal from the City of San Diego. The sewer rate increase is within the
limits contemplated in the five-year schedule of rates.
For its part, the District has worked diligently to reduce internal costs to minimize the
impact of higher costs from public sewage treatment and disposal agencies. For more
information, please visit www.otaywater.gov or contact us via email at info@otaywater.gov.
Dedicated to Community Service
Notice of Commercial
Sewer Rate Increase
Otay Water District
2554 Sweetwater Springs Blvd.
Spring Valley, CA 91978
www.otaywater.gov
Non-Residential Sewer Rates
To meet State of California requirements, customers must pay their fair
share of sewer costs. The Otay Water District is required to determine sewer
rates in accordance with the State’s Revenue Program Guidelines. The formula
takes into consideration the cost associated with the Daily Flow, Chemical
Oxygen Demand and the removal of Suspended Solids. The Chemical Oxygen
Demand and Suspended Solids determine whether the Strength Factor is high,
medium, or low, consistent with the State Water Resources Control Board’s
guidelines.
Monthly bills are calculated based on Assigned Service Units (ASU). One
ASU is equal to the demand placed on the system by a residential unit. ASUs
are calculated by multiplying the Daily Flow by the Strength Factor.
Daily Flow x Strength Factor = Assigned Service Unit
Strength Factors
1.0 Churches
1.0 Low Strength Commercial
1.238 Medium Strength Commercial
2.203 High Strength Commercial
The sewer bill is then calculated by multiplying the ASUs by the rate per
ASU. This charge is increasing by $2.36 per ASU from $39.39 to $41.75.
A $54 per ASU assessment will no longer be collected on the property tax
bill for sewer debt. The state sewer loan was paid in full in 2011.
Rate Increase Notice
Current New
Rate per ASU $ 39.39 $41.75
This information reflects only changes to rates. For a comprehensive listing of rates,
please see the Otay Water District’s Code of Ordinance at www.otaywater.gov.