The District regularly evaluates water rates to ensure they are fair and reasonable and conform to the law. On June 10, 2026, the Board of Directors of the Carpinteria Valley Water District adopted water rates and charges for fiscal years (FY) 2027, 2028, and 2029.
The rates are based on a comprehensive water Rate Study, developed with an independent rate consultant, to evaluate cost of service and inform water rates in compliance with Proposition 218. The rates are designed to address rising treatment costs, inflation, and major capital investments in local water-supply reliability.
Click here for a PDF of the 2026 Final Rate Study ReportClick here for a PDF of the Proposition 218 NoticeClick here for Resolution No. 1179 Adopting Water Rates for FY 2027, 2028, and 2029The Rate Study included the following updates:
- Three-year rate adjustment covering FY 2027, FY 2028, and FY 2029
- Updated financial plan to cover operating, capital, and debt service costs
- Introduction of new Carpinteria Advanced Purification Project (CAPP) charges on water bills and property tax rolls
- Review of Basic, State Water Project, CIP, O&M, and Fire Service charges
- Revised Capital Improvement Program cost projections
The primary drivers of the rate adjustments are:
Water supply reliability: The District is investing in three major capital projects—the Carpinteria Advanced Purification Project (CAPP), the Smillie Well Aquifer Storage and Recovery Project, and the Carpinteria–Casitas Partnership Intertie Project—to strengthen the local water supply during future prolonged droughts.
Emergency preparedness: The District is transitioning to on-site disinfection chemical generation and upgrading critical infrastructure to ensure a resilient and reliable water system.
Infrastructure repair and replacement: Investments include rehabilitation of Headquarters Well, inspection of aging pipelines, and upgrades to remote monitoring systems.
Regulatory compliance: Improvements are planned for the clearwell reservoir at the Cater Water Treatment Plant to provide seismic protection and maintain compliance with water quality standards, which—combined with inflationary pressures—will increase the cost of treated water.
The District offers bill assistance to qualified low-income customers and provides payment plans to help customers get back on track with their accounts. To learn whether you qualify for bill assistance or a payment plan, please contact the District at (805) 684-2816.
For additional questions, you can contact the District at 805-684-2816 or email the billing department at billing@cvwd.net.
El Distrito es bilingüe. Para información sobre los aumentos, favor de llamar a la oficina al (805) 684-2816.
ADOPTED FY 2026-2027 WATER RATES
Click here for a PDF of adopted Fiscal Year 2027 water ratesRates and charges become effective on July 1 of each fiscal year (July 1 – June 30).
All charges are monthly unless otherwise noted.
Table 1 — Volumetric Water Rates ($/HCF)
Residential, Multi-Family, Master Meter & Landscape
| Tier |
Base |
Pressure Zone I |
Pressure Zone II |
| Tier 1 (0–6 HCF) |
$6.44 |
$6.83 |
$7.18 |
| Tier 2 (7–16 HCF) |
$6.73 |
$7.12 |
$7.47 |
| Tier 3 (>16 HCF) |
$7.58 |
$7.97 |
$8.32 |
Commercial, Industrial, Public Authority & Hospitality
| Rate Type |
Base |
Pressure Zone I |
Pressure Zone II |
| Base1
|
$6.43 |
$6.82 |
$7.17 |
| Peak2
|
$7.37 |
$7.76 |
$8.11 |
Agriculture
| Rate Type |
Base |
Pressure Zone I |
Pressure Zone II |
| Uniform |
$2.63 |
$3.02 |
$3.37 |
| REQ3
|
$36.31 (flat fee) |
Temporary Meters
| Rate Type |
Base |
Pressure Zone I |
Pressure Zone II |
| Uniform |
$6.83 |
$7.22 |
$7.57 |
Fire
| Rate Type |
Base |
| Uniform |
$6.43 |
Volumetric water rates, the price a customer pays per volume of water used, covers the cost of producing the water, and varies by customer type (residential, commercial, and agricultural) and pressure zone as shown in the tables below. See the legend at the bottom of the page for additional definitions.
1 Base (Commercial/Industrial) = 5-year December–March consumption by account or dwelling unit.
2 Peak = All water consumption in excess of Base.
3 REQ = Agricultural customers with residential units pay a Residential Equivalency fee covering drinking water treatment-related costs.
Table 2 — Basic & State Water Project (SWP) Fixed Charges
| Meter Size |
Basic Charge |
SWP Charge |
Total |
| 3/4" |
$12.15 |
$36.53 |
$48.68 |
| 1" |
$17.05 |
$60.88 |
$77.93 |
| 1-1/2" |
$29.29 |
$121.76 |
$151.05 |
| 2" |
$43.97 |
$194.81 |
$238.78 |
| 3" |
$90.48 |
$426.15 |
$516.63 |
| 4" |
$159.02 |
$767.07 |
$926.09 |
| 6" |
$323.02 |
$1,582.84 |
$1,905.86 |
| Multi-Family (per unit) |
$12.15 |
$19.54 |
$31.69 |
| Master Meter (per unit) |
— |
$19.54 |
— |
| Hospitality (per unit) |
— |
$14.46 |
— |
Monthly service charges include: (1) a Basic component for meter maintenance, customer service, and billing; and (2) a State Water Project (SWP) component for the District's SWP debt obligation. The SWP charge is applied per dwelling unit for accounts with multiple dwelling units. The Basic charge varies by meter size and is not charged per dwelling unit. The SWP charge for multi-family and master meter dwelling units is set to approximately ½ the SWP charge for a 3/4" meter. The SWP charge for hospitality dwelling units is set to approximately ¼ the SWP charge for a 3/4" meter.
Table 3a — CIP Charges for M&I Customers ($/HCF)
| Description |
Amount |
| Rate per HCF |
$6.01 |
| Minimum (4 HCF) |
$24.04 |
| Maximum (250 HCF) |
$1,502.50 |
The Capital Improvement Program (CIP) charge pays the District's non-SWP debt obligations and capital project costs associated with projects helping the District meet current and proposed drinking water quality standards set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and enforced by the California State Water Board. These charges are based on 5-year average monthly water use, subject to a minimum of 4 HCF and a maximum of 250 HCF per month per unit.
Table 3b — Agricultural O&M Fixed Charges
| Meter Size |
Monthly Charge |
| 3/4" |
$48.38 |
| 1" |
$80.64 |
| 1-1/2" |
$161.27 |
| 2" |
$258.03 |
| 3" |
$564.43 |
| 4" |
$1,105.98 |
| 6" |
$2,096.46 |
The AG O&M charge appears only on the bills of agricultural accounts. This charge funds the portion of costs that are collected from other customer classes through the CIP charge, which recovers costs associated with the District's non-SWP debt obligations and capital project costs to meet drinking water quality standards. These charges are based on meter size.
Table 4 — Fire Service Fixed Charges
| Fireline Size |
Monthly Charge |
| 2" |
$6.70 |
| 3" |
$10.31 |
| 4" |
$16.52 |
| 6" |
$38.84 |
| 8" |
$77.32 |
| 10" |
$135.21 |
Monthly service charges for fire service recover costs associated with providing private fire protection. These charges are based on fireline size.
Tables 5a–5c — Carpinteria Advanced Purification Project (CAPP) Charges
Table 5a — CAPP Volumetric Rate for M&I Customers ($/HCF)
| Charge |
Rate |
| Per HCF |
$0.41 |
For M&I customers (all customers except agricultural), all water use is charged at a uniform rate per HCF. This rate pays for operation and maintenance costs of the Carpinteria Advanced Purification Project (CAPP).
Table 5b — CAPP Fixed Charges for Agricultural Customers
| Meter Size |
Monthly Charge |
| 3/4" |
$16.86 |
| 1" |
$28.10 |
| 1-1/2" |
$56.20 |
| 2" |
$89.91 |
| 3" |
$196.68 |
| 4" |
$354.02 |
| 6" |
$730.52 |
For agricultural customers, this fixed charge is based on meter size and pays for operation and maintenance costs of the Carpinteria Advanced Purification Project.
Table 5c — CAPP Capital Charge (Annual)
| Meter Size |
Annual Charge |
| 3/4" |
$53.91 |
| 1" |
$89.85 |
| 1-1/2" |
$179.70 |
| 2" |
$287.52 |
| 3" |
$628.95 |
| 4" |
$1,132.12 |
The CAPP Capital charge is based on the customer's meter size and pays for capital costs associated with the Carpinteria Advanced Purification Project.
Legend
-
1 unit (HCF) = 100 cubic feet = 748 gallons
-
Base Zone = Connections not in Pressure Zone I or II
-
Pressure Zone I (PZ I) = Connections served by Gobernador Reservoir
-
Pressure Zone II (PZ II) = Connections served by Shepard Mesa Tank
-
Base (Commercial/Industrial) = 5-year December–March consumption by account or dwelling unit
-
Peak = All water consumption in excess of Base
-
HCF = Hundred Cubic Feet
-
M&I = Municipal and Industrial (all non-agricultural customers)
-
SWP = State Water Project
-
CIP = Capital Improvement Program
-
CAPP = Carpinteria Advanced Purification Project
