HomeMy WebLinkAbout2021 Rate Increase Notice - Residential Water Service
An overall average rate increase of 2.9 percent was approved by the Otay Water District (the “District”) as part of
the annual budget adoption process completed in June 2020. For a typical single-family residential customer using
11 units of water per month, their water bill will increase by $2.21 per month beginning January 1, 2021.
Depending on your billing cycle, the new rates and charges will apply to water used as early as the beginning
of December 2020. This letter serves as a 30-day notice of rate increases.
On October 4, 2017, the District’s Board of Directors adopted a five-year schedule of rates in compliance with
applicable provisions of the law. This increase is within the limits approved in the five-year schedule of rates.
The District is a revenue-neutral public agency that provides water service to your community. “Revenue-neutral”
means that water bills reflect only those rates, fees, and charges sufficient to support water service. To continue
providing reliable high-quality service, the District must implement rate increases and pass through to its customers the
higher costs from water and energy suppliers. The current increase is a direct result of higher costs from the District’s
suppliers, which include the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California (MWD), San Diego County Water
Authority (CWA), City of San Diego, and San Diego Gas & Electric.
Rate increases are necessary to cover the increasing cost of purchasing water from the District’s water suppliers.
The District’s wholesaler supplier, CWA, has raised its rates primarily due to increasing rates from its supplier, MWD,
and the higher costs of a drought-proof water supply. These increased costs are largely due to the increased cost of
importing water from Northern California and the Colorado River and costs to produce water from the Carlsbad
Desalination Plant.
The District works to minimize
rate impacts of its internal costs and
it implements efficiency measures to
help limit the impact of higher rates
from suppliers. The District’s goal is
to remain among the lower cost
water service providers in San Diego
County. For more information about
District-wide efforts to streamline
operations, visit otaywater.gov or
email info@otaywater.gov.
Customers interested in
learning ways to reduce their water
use to minimize the effects of this
rate increase can visit the District’s
conservation and rebate pages at
otaywater.gov. The District provides
information on rebates, incentives,
water audits, and other resources to
help customers save water.
Additionally, the Water
Conservation Garden located on the
campus of Cuyamaca Community
College in Rancho San Diego is open
to the public and offers various
conservation exhibits, programs, and
classes in person and online. For more
about the Water Conservation Garden,
visit thegarden.org.
Si requiere asistencia en español con referencia a esta notificación, favor de llamar al 619-670-2222.
Otay Water District 2554 Sweetwater Springs Blvd.
Spring Valley, CA 91978-2004
619-670-2222
otaywater.gov
Notice of Residential
Water Rate Increase
Dedicated to Community Service
NOTICE OF WATER RATES, FEES, AND CHARGES FOR
WATER BILLED BEGINNING IN JANUARY 2021
Otay's estimated
average bill
* At the time of the
survey in July 2020,
the member agency's FY 2021
rate was
unavailable and an
assumption was
made that no rate
increase will be
implemented in FY
2021.
PROJECTED WATER BILLS BY AGENCY AS OF JANUARY 2021
(11 units of water use and 3/4” meter)
The tables below show the itemized charges that are used to determine a monthly water bill. Your bill will vary
based on your meter size, your water consumption in units, and your geographic location.
Si requiere asistencia en español con referencia a esta notificación, favor de llamar al 619-670-2222.
Typical Bill at 11 HCF (or Units) of Water per Month
Water Rates2 (per unit)
Other Charges
Footnotes
1. The Fixed Charges, based on meter size, ensure that customers pay their proportionate share of the water system
replacement, maintenance, and operating expenses. The MWD & CWA Charges are based on meter size and
match, in total, the cost charged by wholesale water suppliers.
2. This cost varies based on water usage and can be calculated using the consumption block tables. One unit of
consumption equals 748 gallons of water or one HCF (hundred cubic feet).
3. The Energy Charge represent the cost of the energy required to pump or lift each unit of water 100 feet in elevation.
This is charged proportionately for every 100 feet of elevation over 450 feet. The increase is due to increased power
costs charged by the District’s power supplier.
4. Charges collected through the property tax roll (availability fees and general obligation debt) are not included in this
total.
5. Fire Service requires a separate meter and this charge is based on service size.
Consumption Blocks (in
units)Current New
1 - 10 $3.31 $3.38
11 - 22 $5.91 $6.04
23 or more $7.63 $7.79
Meter Size System Charges MWD/CWA Total System Charges MWD/CWA Total
3/4" $18.87 $15.56 $34.43 $19.27 $16.36 $35.63
1" $26.67 $28.89 $55.56 $27.24 $30.38 $57.62
1 1/2" $46.13 $65.31 $111.44 $47.12 $68.67 $115.79
2" $69.49 $111.10 $180.59 $70.98 $116.81 $187.79
Current New
Current New
Energy Charges3 (per unit) $0.060 $0.063
Fire Service5 ≤ 3" (monthly) $22.55 $23.03
Fire Service5 ≥ 4" (monthly) $30.38 $31.03
MWD/CWA1 System Charges1 Water Rate2 Energy Charges3 Total4
Current $15.56 $18.87 $39.01 $2.31 $75.75
New $16.36 $19.27 $39.84 $2.49 $77.96
$2.21Increase in monthly water bill (at 11 units or HCF)
Monthly Fixed Charges1
This information reflects only changes to rates. For a comprehensive listing, see the
Otay Water District’s Code of Ordinances at otaywater.gov.