Water Rates

DSRSD provides drinking water to nearly 100,000 people within the City of Dublin and the Dougherty Valley area of the City of San Ramon. DSRSD purchases its supply of wholesale treated water from Zone 7 Water Agency. DSRSD also partners with the East Bay Municipal Utility District (EBMUD) to produce and distribute recycled water to nearly 360 sites through the DSRSD-EBMUD Recycled Water Authority (DERWA). 

Residential Bill Calculator

Be aware: the more water you use, the higher your bill. Compare your past and current water use on Aquahawk.

Step 1	Look at your water bill (see sample on right) to determine how much water you use in a two-month billing period. Enter it here  units (one unit is 748 gallons)	Look up your bimonthly water consumption. This figure is located on the bottom left corner of your bill. This customer used 11 units (which equals 8,228 gallons). Not a residential customer? Questions about your bill? Phone: (925) 875-8524 Email: CustomerService@dsrsd.com
Step 2	Check if you pay the Power Charge. "Power charge for pumping" appears as a separate line on your bill and applies to service locations where water must be pumped due to elevation.
Step 3	Check if you are enrolled in Low Income Assistance
Step 4	Click

DSRSD bills its water customers bimonthly, every two months. Water use is measured in hundred cubic feet (CCF). One CCF is equal to 748 gallons of water. 

Customers pay one or more variable "Consumption Charge" depending on their service type and property location. The consumption charge is based on the amount of water used during a two-month billing period. All customers also pay a "Fixed Service Charge" based on their meter size. The total bill is the sum of consumption charges and fixed service charge.

Table A – Retail Consumption Charges

These volume-based charges cover the cost of potable water purchased from Zone 7, power, and recycled water. 

Table B – Retail Fixed Charges 

All water customers pay a bimonthly retail fixed charge based on meter size. Most of the costs to operate the water system do not vary with the amount of water used.

Table C – Zone 7 Consumption and Fixed Charges

DSRSD purchases all of its potable water supplies from Zone 7 Water Agency (Zone 7). Zone 7’s wholesale rates are comprised of fixed and variable charges. DSRSD must pay Zone 7 the fixed charge regardless of the amount of water sold. Currently, DSRSD blends the fixed and variable wholesale water rates to develop the “Zone 7 Cost of Water” charge and passes through the charge as a variable consumption charge to DSRSD customers. The proposed Zone 7 Cost of Water charge separates the current blended charge into a fixed charge and a variable charge for wholesale water. This proposed methodology allows DSRSD greater revenue stability. 

Table D – Water Shortage Condition Charges

DSRSD’s Water Shortage Contingency Plan prepares the District to respond to water shortages caused by drought or emergencies. It includes actions to reduce water usage by certain percentages based on the severity of the water shortage. Water shortage condition charges ensure that DSRSD generates enough revenue to cover the cost of providing water during times of water shortage when water deliveries are reduced.

Table E – Dougherty Valley Incremental State Water Project Charge

Dougherty Valley (San Ramon) Customers ONLY

The State Water Project (SWP) is the primary water source for Zone 7 (the District’s sole drinking water supplier). Zone 7 recovers a portion of the cost of purchasing SWP through property taxes levied in Alameda County. Dougherty Valley’s share of the SWP costs are collected through DSRSD’s retail water rates, the Dougherty Valley Standby District Charge (Standby Charge) and the Dougherty Valley Incremental State Water Project Charge (Incremental Charge). The Standby Charge and Incremental Charge appear on the Contra Costa County secured property tax rolls respectively as “DSRSD-DRTY VLY 01-1” and “DSRSD DRTY VLY SWP.” The Standby Charge has been fixed at $170.75 (annually) since 2019, while adjustments are made annually to the Incremental Charge based on the Dougherty Valley Incremental State Water Project Charge Annual Report.

 
Rate Changes

In addition to any rate increases adopted by Zone 7 Water Agency, water rates generally increase each year on Jan. 1 based on the annual change in the Consumer Price Index (CPI, All Urban Consumers for San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward).

The DSRSD Board of Directors may change rates at other times as a result of rate studies or other factors. DSRSD notifies customers when rate changes are proposed, as required by Proposition 218. Customers are encouraged to attend public meetings regarding rate changes and submit written comments. For more information on Proposition 218, see the following guides:

• League of California Cities Proposition 218 Implementation Guide
• California Legislative Analyst's Office: Understanding Proposition 218

Revised: February 14, 2024

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