New CVWD water rates, charges going into effect July 1

New domestic water rates and charges are going into effect July 1 for Coachella Valley Water District customers to reflect the current cost of service for each customer type. The rates were approved by the Riverside County board of Supervisors Tuesday in a 4-1 vote. CVWD has not adjusted rates since 2019. The new rates are based on a five-year cost of service study conducted by a third party consultant that recommends a financial plan and rate structure that meets the District’s financial, operational and capital needs. CVWD rates are composed of two types of charges – fixed and volumetric. A fixed meter charge (or service charge) is based on the size of the meter serving a property and stays the same per month regardless of usage. The volumetric charges on the bill reflect the amount of water used in a billing period and are calculated with a water budget-based tiered rate billing structure. Customers pay monthly service charges and tiered consumption rates. Depending on meter size, most service charge adjustments will increase. Several, especially landscape/irrigation customers, will see decreases. Rates in notices sent to domestic water customers were maximums based on the cost of service study. The Board will study the new rates annually and may change or approve them for the following year. More information about the rates is available at www.cvwd.org/ratechanges. Customers can use the 2022 New Bill Calculator available on that page and use a previous CVWD bill to enter water use information to see what the new bill would be.