Why Rates Matter

YLWD’s water rates are an investment – one that supports the vital infrastructure working 24/7 to keep your water safe and flowing to your home every single day.

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Water Rates Are More Than Just a Bill

Your water rates help us ensure:

✅ Safe, reliable water delivered daily

🔧 Maintenance and upgrades to our infrastructure

🚰 Long-term planning for future water needs

🚨 Emergency response when disaster strikes

🛑 Public health protection and emergency readiness

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What Your Rates Support

YLWD is proud of the thoughtful investments your water rates make possible:

🧪 State-of-the-art PFAS Treatment Plant

🚁 Heli-Hydrants for wildfire protection

🔥 Enhanced fire protection in high-risk zones

🧵 Upgraded pipelines and critical infrastructure

🛠️ Preventative maintenance programs

💡 Advanced system technology and monitoring

🌱 Planning for future generations

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Why We Conduct Rate Studies

YLWD is a public agency, and by law (Prop 218), our rates must be:

➡️ Cost-based

➡️ Can only cover the actual cost of service

➡️ Are reviewed every 5 years through a Cost of Service Study

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Our Commitment to You

At YLWD, we prioritize:

✅ Transparency

✅ Reliability

✅ Resilience

✅ Affordability

Public Engagement Presentation

Missed our Public Engagement Meeting on August 28?

Download Presentation

Click to view or download YLWD's Public Engagement Presentation from our Special Board Meeting on Thursday, August 28.
View Slidedeck

YLWD Rate Study Schedule

DateMeeting
Thurs, 07/10/25Board of Directors (BOD) Meeting - Preliminary Financial Plan
Thurs, 08/28/25BOD Meeting - Public Engagement Meeting
(4:30 p.m. - 5:30 p.m.)
Thurs, 09/11/25BOD Meeting - Preliminary Rates
Thurs, 10/02/25BOD Special Meeting - Preliminary Rates Scenarios
Sat,
10/04/25
YLWD Open House
(9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.)
Thurs, 11/13/25BOD Meeting - Rate Scenarios
Thurs, 01/22/26BOD Meeting - Receive Report and Approve Proposition 218 Notice
Thurs, 04/09/26BOD Meeting - Public Hearing to Adopt Rates
(4:30 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.)
Wed, 07/01/26New Rates Implemented

On June 12, 2025, the Board of Directors approved Resolution Nos. 2025-11 and 2025-12
adjusting water and sewer rates and charges with an effective date of July 1, 2025.

Historical agenda packets, meeting minutes, ordinances, and resolutions can be viewed using Laserfiche

 

Main components of YLWD rates

Water and sewer rates for Fiscal Year 2025-26 have been adjusted per the recommended increment as contained within the 2021 5-Year Rate Schedule and as approved by the Board of Directors to ensure the District’s cost of service is met.

  • Variable Monthly Commodity Rate – the price per unit of water based on the amount of water used (collected on the monthly bill of water customers)
    • $ 4.11 / 100 Cubic Feet (ccf) (Includes a $0.37 Pass-Through Adjustment)
  • Fixed Monthly Service (Meter) Charge – the fixed costs for the operations, maintenance, repair, and rehabilitation of the water system irrespective of how much water is used (collected on the monthly bill of water customers)
    • 5/8” and 3/4” Meters $ 39.05
    • 1” Meters $ 60.61
    • 1 1/2” Meters $ 115.49
    • 2” Meters $ 180.99
    • 3” Meters $ 388.47
    • 4” Meters $ 694.19
    • 6” Meters $ 1,753.35
  • Fixed Annual Capital (Finance) Charge – the annual fixed charges, based on the debt issuances (Principal and Interest payments due per fiscal year) that paid for large-scale capital projects (predominantly collected on the annual property tax bill of the property owner of water customers)
    • 5/8” and 3/4” Meters $ 96.36
    • 1” Meters $ 160.53
    • 1 1/2” Meters $ 320.64
    • 2” Meters $ 512.52
    • 3” Meters $ 1,120.68
    • 4” Meters $ 2,016.48
    • 6” Meters $ 5,121.00
  • Fixed Monthly Sewer Charge* – the fixed cost to cover the operation and maintenance of the sewer system, which includes the repair, rehabilitation, and eventual replacement of the sewer pipes and equipment (collected on the monthly billing statement or annual property tax roll for certain sewer connections) (*Commercial customers pay both a flat rate as well as a variable volumetric charge based on the estimated amount of water returned to the sewer)
    • Residential – individually metered $15.05 per month
    • Residential – master metered $14.48 per month per dwelling unit
    • Commercial – individually metered $15.05 per month
    • Commercial tiers
      • Tier 1 (0 – 7 ccfs per month) $0.00
      • Tier 2 (8+ ccfs per month) $0.61 / ccf

All Rates and Charges

Water

A full list of water rates and charges can be viewed here.

Sewer

A full list of sewer rates and charges can be viewed here

Development

A full list of development rates and charges can be viewed here

5-Year Rate Schedule

The 5-year rate schedule approved by the board in 2021 can be viewed here

Budget overview

The Fiscal Year 2025-26 Operating Budget:

  • $65,457,710 in total revenues
  • $51,402,575 in total expenses
  • $9,272,116 in depreciation
  • $6,124,353 in capital-related expenses