Water Budget Rates Murrieta Commercial

Details of your water budget appear on your monthly water bill.  You can also receive your water budget information by contacting us at 951.571.7267 or adjustments@wmwd.com.

We can adjust your water budget to accommodate any growth or changes to your business practices, or to account for more irrigated landscaping than we show.

The process to adjust your water budget is very simple.  All you have to do is fill out the water budget adjustment form and drop it in the mail, and we’ll do the rest.  Forms can also be faxed to 951.571.0591, emailed to adjustments@wmwd.com or delivered in person to the District’s administrative office.  If you’d like the District to re-send your water budget information, please contact us at 951.571.7267 or adjustments@wmwd.com.

Western has taken numerous steps to make sure your water budget is accurate, but we need your help to make sure we got it exactly right. The District will continue to work with customers to make any necessary adjustments to water budgets for those whose situations differ from our assumptions. We’re committed to making sure everyone has a customized water budget that provides the water necessary to meet their efficient indoor and outdoor water needs.  Please contact us at (951) 571-7104 or adjustments@wmwd.com to calculate the customized water budget for your business.

Businesses, by nature, are driven by the bottom line, so Western assumes that commercial customers are as efficient with their water use as possible to limit their water costs.  That’s why commercial water budgets are based on a three-year average of a customer’s monthly use.  In terms of efficient irrigation water use, decades of studies have determined the watering needs of various types of landscapes at differing temperatures.

No. The rate structure has special provisions to adjust commercial and irrigation water budgets to allow for expanded operations requiring more water.

No. Water budgets are based on an efficient level of water use given your specific situation (business needs, irrigation needs, etc.).

Western has developed a recommended seasonal irrigation schedule based on historic weather patterns and the new rate structure’s water budgets. Additionally, if you have a smart sprinkler controller that receives daily ET (evapotranspiration) readings, it should automatically adjust your irrigation patterns based on weather and keep you within your landscape irrigation water budget. Western offers rebates for smart irrigation controllers; click here for details.

Unfortunately, rolling over water use from one month’s budget to the next doesn’t work for commodity-based utilities such as water.  That’s because Western incurs greater power and chemical costs during peak times of the year, such as the summer, and rolling over water budget credits would make it very difficult for the District to generate the necessary revenue at the time our power and chemical costs are due.

All Western customers will pay more per gallon in 2012 due to a series of five annual pass-through rate increases approved by the Board of Directors in 2010.  The Water Budget Rate Structure ensures efficient customers pay the lowest available rates.  

The impact on your bill will vary based upon how efficient you are with your water use. The only customers who may see increased water bills are those whose use exceeds their water budget, and the District is working closely with those customers to help them reduce their water use and lower their water costs. The District currently has several programs to help customers become water-efficient and will continue to provide these water-wise incentives.

Tiers three, four and five are priced higher because the cost of supplying water at these inefficient and unsustainable levels is significantly higher. Only customers whose water use exceeds their water budgets are charged the higher tiered rates. Under the Water Budget Rate Structure, every customer receives a customized water budget sufficient to meet their needs, which means that no matter the size or nature of your business, you should be able to remain within your water budget and pay the lowest available price. Western hopes the higher pricing gets the attention of the small number of customers who are wasting water and sends a clear economic signal that wasted water is much costlier water. The District works closely with those customers to help them reduce their water use and lower their water costs.

It’s unfortunate, but it’s the result of the higher price we must pay for water and energy.  Western purchases almost all of our water from the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, which imports water from Northern California and the Colorado River.  Metropolitan has dramatically raised its rates in recent years because supplies have been constricted by drought and regulations.  Southern California Edison has also significantly raised the cost of energy necessary to pump water to our disperse customer base.  Still, Water Budget Rates ensures efficient customers pay the lowest available rates. 

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No. Every commercial customer receives a unique water budget based on a three-year average of their monthly water use. Each irrigation customer has a unique water budget based on their amount of landscaping and local weather data.

Revenues generated from customers using water in excess of their water budget are used to develop programs to help all customers become more water-efficient and to acquire water necessary to meet this excessive demand. These efficiency program funds are not used for employee compensation or benefits. The purpose of Water Budget Rates is to help all customers achieve efficient water use – NOT to generate additional revenue.