Rate Increase FAQ
How do SLVWD water rates compare to other districts in the state?
SLVWD has among the highest rates in the state, particularly in light of the new proposal. SLVWD has published a chart showing that a “typical” residential customer consuming 6 CCF of water per month throughout the year will pay $124 per month under the 2024 SLVWD rate structure. (1 CCF (100 cubic feet) is equal to 748 gallons of water. 6 CCF is approximately the amount of water the average household of three people in SLV would use if it met the state standard for indoor use of about 50 gallons per person per day.) The same monthly consumption would cost around $70 in Marin County, $71 in the City of Santa Cruz, $98 in Scotts Valley, $107 in the Soquel Creek Water District (increasing to $132 on March 1, 2024, if a proposed rate increase is approved), and $142 in Monterey.
FSLVW attempted a more detailed cost and rate comparison with districts more similar to SLVWD — a small customer base widely dispersed over mountainous terrain — but found the analysis too complex to be meaningful, largely due to the effect of different costs of living on staff salaries, among other factors.
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