Water Resources and Conservation

Water and Wastewater Rates

City of Petaluma, California
Summary of Water and Wastewater (Sewer) Rates
Effective January 1, 2013

The City of Petaluma bills for water and wastewater (sewer) services on a monthly basis. Both of these services are included in your monthly water bill. The following is a summary of the service charges:

Section 1.0 Water Rates
Water bills include a fixed service charge and consumption charge. The fixed service charge is driven by costs independent of water consumption and is based on the meter size. Most residential meters are a 5/8" meter. Expenditures that influence this charge include system replacement costs, service and main line maintenance, and administrative costs. Consumption charges for multi-unit residential, commercial and industrial customers are based on a single rate. The consumption charge for single-family residential customers is based on three tiers. The average single-family household will see some usage in the second tier. Typical water consumption for a single-family residential customer is about 12 hundred cubic feet (hcf) per month, or 8,976 gallons. Please note that 1 hcf = 748 gallons.

1.1 Water Service Charges as of January 1, 2013.

The monthly service charge is based on meter size.

Size of Service	Fixed Service Charge
5/8” Meter	$6.85
3/4” Meter	$6.85
1” Meter (residential)	$9.97
1” Meter	$9.97
1 1/2” Meter	$17.73
2” Meter	$27.09
3” Meter	$48.92
4” Meter	$80.10
6” Meter	$158.00

1.2 Water Consumption Charge

Customer Consumption

Single Family Residential	($/hcf)
Tier 1 (0-8 hcf)	$2.99
Tier 2 (9-16 hcf)	$3.59
Tier 3 (17-24 hcf)	$4.48
Tier 4 (25+ hcf)	$5.82
Other Customers	$3.33

1.3 Example Single Family Residential Customer Water Charge
For an average single-family residential customer, with a 5/8" meter and using 12 hcf monthly, the first 8 hcf would be charged at $2.99 per hcf. The next 4 hcf would be charged at $3.59 per hcf. The total bill would be as follows:
Service Charge =………………………………………………..….$6.85
Consumption Charge = …... (8 hcf x $2.99) + (4 hcf x $3.59) $38.28
Total Monthly Charge = …...……………………………………. $45.13

Section 2.0 Wastewater Rates
Wastewater rates for commercial and industrial customers are based on a fixed monthly service charge and a commodity charge based on water use. Wastewater rates for residential customers are based on a fixed service charge plus a commodity charge based on average water usage during the winter months. The average household in Petaluma uses approximately 8 hcf (5,984 gallons) of water per month during the winter months.

2.1 Fixed Monthly Wastewater Charge (Base Charge)

Fixed Charge On Billings Rendered On and After January 1, 2013

Wastewater Customer Category

Residential
Single-Family Residential	$17.89
Multi-Unit Residential (per dwelling unit)	$15.58
Unmetered Residential (per dwelling unit)	$82.97
Non-Residential
Up to 3/4” Meter	$17.89
1” Meter	$26.99
1 1/2" Meter	$49.56
2” Meter	$76.75
3” Meter	$140.25
4” Meter	$230.92
6” Meter	$457.42
Metered Industrial
2” Ultrasonic	$208.22
10” Ultrasonic	$457.46
2” Magnetic Meter	$140.25
3” Magnetic Meter	$298.85
4” Magnetic Meter	$457.46
6” Magnetic Meter	$1,137.21

2.2 Wastewater Commodity Charge (Use Charge)

Commodity Charge On Billings Classification Rendered On and After January 1, 2013.

Wastewater Customer

Residential
Single-Family l ($/hcf)	$8.11
Multi-Unit ($/hcf per dwelling unit)	$8.11
Commercial (water use per bill, $/hcf)
Low-Strength	$7.95
Medium-Strength	$9.75
High-Strength	$12.68
Metered Industrial Users (based on sampling results)
Flow (water use per bill, $/hcf)	$6.32
BOD (sample, $/lb)	$0.60
TSS (sample, $/lb)	$0.70

2.3 Example Single Family Residential Wastewater Service Charge
All wastewater customers are charged a flat service charge plus a commodity charge. The commodity charge for residential customers is based on the amount of water used during the winter months. The winter water usage billing method is designed to more fairly distribute the costs of operating the wastewater system. Water consumed during the winter months of the year approximates wastewater (sewage) flow. This is because landscape irrigation should be minimal, and therefore most, if not all, water consumed during this period is returned to the wastewater (sewer) system. This approach also rewards water conservation. For this example, the monthly wastewater charges for a single family with a monthly average of 8 units is:
Monthly Wastewater Fixed Fee Base Charge=…….….….… $17.89
Wastewater Use Charge = …………….….…..… (8 x $8.11) $64.88
Total Monthly Charge = …………….….….….….…………….. $82.77

Winter water averages are updated in July, using the average winter water usage from the previous winter.

Contact Information

Director, Public Works and Utilities
Dan St. John, F.ASCE
202 N. McDowell Blvd
Petaluma, CA 94954
Phone: 707-778-4546
Fax: 707-778-4508
Email: dstjohn@ci.petaluma.ca.us

Administrative Offices
202 North McDowell Blvd.
Petaluma, CA 94954
Phone: 707.778.4546
Fax: 707.778.4508
Email: water@ci.petaluma.ca.us
Hours: 8:00 A.M. - 5:00 P.M.
Monday - Friday

Utility Billing
11 English Street
Petaluma, CA 94952
Phone: 707.778.4350
Hours: 8:00 A.M. - 5:00 P.M.
Monday – Thursday

Water, Sewer, or Storm Water Emergency
Phone: 707.778.4546

Water Conservation
Phone: 707.778.4507
Email: conservation@ci.petaluma.ca.us

Ellis Creek Water Recycling Facility
3890 Cypress Drive
Petaluma, CA 94954
Phone: 707.776.3777