Water Budgets and Rates
Western’s water budget structure makes sure that every customer receives a personalized water budget designed to meet their specific indoor and outdoor water needs.
Your water budget is designed to meet your individual needs
Your personalized water budget means that no matter the size of your household or yard, you should be able to remain within your total monthly water budget and pay the lowest available prices (Tier 1 and Tier 2) when you use water efficiently. Residential water budgets are calculated based on the number of days in the billing cycle, the number of people in the household, your irrigated landscape area and localized weather data, among other factors.
Efficient water use is rewarded with lower bills
Most customers are able to stay within their water budget, and they are billed at the lowest rates as a result. When customers stay within budget, Western can meet their indoor water demand with our limited local supply, which costs much less to deliver than imported water supplies; keeping their Tier 1 rate as low as possible.
The only customers who are billed in the higher tiers (Tiers 3-4) are those who exceed their total monthly water budget.
When you go over your water budget, Western must purchase more costly imported water supply to meet the demand.
Fairness for all customers and customer support
Under Western's water budget structure, customers who use water efficiently are not expected to cover the costs to deliver the more costly imported water that it takes to meet the needs of less efficient users. In other words, if you exceed your water budget, expect to pay the added cost of transporting and delivering this more expensive water supply.
Western does not use the higher rate tiers to balance the budget. Instead, we want to see all customers using water as efficiently as possible while receiving the lowest priced water, which is why we offer a variety of water use efficiency support programs for customers.
Watch this video to learn about how your individual water budget is calculated.
Your personalized water budget is calculated using factors such as the number of people in the household and your irrigated landscape area.
Based on census data, Western uses a default number of three people per household for single-family homes and two people per household for condominiums and apartments. The number of people regularly living in your home directly impacts your indoor water budget. If you need to update the number of people in your home, complete the Standard Request for Water Budget Adjustment Form (Spanish).
Request a temporary water budget adjustment
Have you experienced a leak on your property and fixed it? Did you install new landscaping? Are you filling or refilling your pool? You may need a temporary water budget adjustment.
If you have recently received a high bill and know it is due to one of the factors listed above, you can request a temporary water budget adjustment using the Temporary Water Budget Adjustment Request Form (Spanish).
Submit your completed form(s) via fax, email or US mail.
Fax
951.571.0591
Email
billing@wmwd.com
US Mail
Western Municipal Water District
Attn: Customer Service
14205 Meridian Parkway
Riverside, CA 92518