HomeMy WebLinkAbout2013 Rate Increase Notice - Public and Commercial Water ServiceNotice of Public and Commercial
Water Rate Increase
NOTICE OF INCREASED WATER RATES AND CHARGES EFFECTIVE
FOR WATER BILLED IN JANUARY 2013
Dear Customer,
An overall rate increase of 7.4 percent was approved by the Otay Water District’s (the
“District”) Board of Directors as part of the annual budget adoption process completed in
May 2012. The new water rates and charges will apply to water billed beginning January 1,
2013 and, depending on your billing cycle, will apply to water used as early as the
beginning of December 2012. This letter serves as a 30-day notice of rate increases.
The District is a revenue-neutral public agency. To continue providing reliable high-
quality water services, the District must implement rate increases and pass-through to its
customers higher costs imposed by its water suppliers. One hundred percent (100%) of this
increase is a direct pass-through from those suppliers, which include the Metropolitan Water
District of Southern California (MWD), San Diego County Water Authority (CWA), and the
City of San Diego.
On August 24, 2009, the District adopted a five-year schedule of rates in compliance
with applicable provisions of the law. This increase is within the limits contemplated in the
five-year schedule of rates.
Water wholesalers are raising their water rates to obtain new and more reliable
supplies of water. These include more reliable emergency resources, agricultural to urban
water transfers, as well as potential new sources of water supplies including ocean water
desalination. In addition, rate increases cover the cost of acquiring imported water from the
Colorado River and Northern California.
For its part, the District has worked diligently to reduce internal costs, including
reducing the number of full-time employees and instituting efficiency programs, such as
automated meter reading and online bill pay services, all of which minimize the impact of
higher water costs from wholesalers.
Customers who are interested in learning ways in which they can reduce their water
usage to minimize the effects of this increase can visit the District’s Conservation page at
www.otaywater.gov. Additionally, the Water Conservation Garden located in Rancho San
Diego is free to the public and offers various conservation exhibits and classes. For more
about the Garden, visit www.thegarden.org. For information about the Otay Water District,
please visit www.otaywater.gov or contact us via email at info@otaywater.gov.
Dedicated to Community Service
Otay Water District
2554 Sweetwater Springs Blvd.
Spring Valley, CA 91978
619-670-2222
www.otaywater.gov
Current New
Meter Size System
Fee2 MWD/CWA2 Total System
Fee2 MWD/CWA2 Total
3/4" $14.58 $14.01 $28.59 $16.74 $13.28 $30.02
1" $18.52 $23.33 $41.85 $21.26 $22.12 $43.38
1 1/2" $28.37 $46.74 $75.11 $32.57 $44.31 $76.88
2" $40.18 $74.74 $114.92 $46.13 $70.85 $116.98
3" $71.68 $149.48 $221.16 $82.29 $141.71 $224.00
4" $107.13 $233.58 $340.71 $122.99 $221.43 $344.42
6" $205.59 $467.09 $672.68 $236.02 $442.80 $678.82
8" $323.73 $747.39 $1,071.12 $371.64 $708.53 $1,080.17
10" $461.57 $1,070.74 $1,532.31 $529.88 $1,015.06 $1,544.94
Consumption Blocks by Unit and System Fees by Meter Size
Other Charges
Current New
Energy Charges3 $0.045 $0.042
Improvement District4 No. 3 $0.20 $0.21
Improvement District4 No. 10 $0.27 $0.27
La Presa4 $0.08 $0.08
Fire Service5 $30.11 $34.57
Footnotes
1. 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. 2. These fees are based on the meter size. The
MWD/CWA fee is decreasing to match the cost from the District’s water suppliers. The System Fee
is increasing to pay for higher water system replacement, maintenance, and operating
expenses.
3. The Energy Charge represents the cost of energy required to pump each unit of water 100 feet in elevation. This is charged proportionately for every foot of elevation over 450 feet. This decrease is
due to decreased power costs to the District. 4. This charge is a per unit charge and your bill will
vary based on water consumption. 5. Fire Service requires a separate meter and is a
monthly fee regardless of meter size.
This information reflects only changes to rates. For a comprehensive listing of rates, please
see the Otay Water District’s Code of Ordinances at www.otaywater.gov.
Public and Commercial Water Usage Fee (<10” meter)
Consumption Blocks (units)1 Current New
0 - 173 $2.59 $2.84
174 - 831 $2.66 $2.92
832 or more $2.70 $2.96
Public and Commercial Water Usage Fee (10” meter)
Consumption Blocks (units)1 Current New
0 - 7,426 $2.59 $2.84
7,427 - 14,616 $2.66 $2.92
14,617 or more $2.70 $2.96