PRWD water rates

RATES & CHARGES

About Water Bills and Water Usage

In 1988, the Point Roberts Water District (PRWD) successfully completed negotiations with the Greater Vancouver Water District (GVWD) to obtain a water allotment of 840,000 gallons per day. PRWD is charged for the full daily allotment by GVWD at a fixed rate, whether or not the allotment is utilized. PRWD therefore passes that charge along to customers to ensure safe and clean water is readily available. The District reads meters and sends bills on a bi-monthly basis. You do not receive a bill if there is a credit balance showing for that billing period.

According to the US Geological Survey website a typical person uses between 80-100 gallons of water per day http://ga.water.usgs.gov/edu/qahome.html#HDR3. The bi-monthly base rate on a standard residential water service is $79.20 for 500 cubic feet. There are 7.48 gallons in one cubic foot, and so, 500 cubic feet translates to approximately 3,740 gallons. At the current rate the water costs less than 2 cents per gallon at your tap. Compared to bottled water at about 99 cents per gallon (which in some cases is not required to meet the same rigorous standards as tap water) you are receiving top value for your dollar.

Water usage is measured in cubic feet and for the purposes of billing the usage is then rounded to increments of 100 cubic feet. In order to get a more understandable scale of personal consumption it is easier to think in terms of gallons.

Here are some conversions from cubic feet into gallons:

100 Cubic Feet = 748 gallons

500 Cubic Feet = 3,740 gallons

1200 Cubic Feet = 8,976 gallons

2000 Cubic Feet = 14,960 gallons

4000 Cubic Feet = 29,920 gallons

CCF = 100 Cubic Feet

Comparisons of the Water Rate Structure

New Rates Effective March 1, 2014

Single Family Residential and Multi-Family Residential (2-4 units) connections with standard 3/4 inch meter (Base Rate covers 2 months of usage)

New Rate	Old Rate
Base Rate is $79.20 for 0-500 cu.ft.	Base Rate was $73.34 for 0-500 cu.ft.
6-14 CCF usage is $2.20 per CCF	6-14 CCF usage was $2.06 per CCF
15-40 CCF usage is $3.00 per CCF	15-40 CCF usage was $2.78 per CCF
volume >40 CCF is $5.35 per CCF	volume >40 CCF was $4.95 per CCF

Commercial and Multi-Family Residential (5 or more units) with standard 3/4 inch meter (Base Rate covers 2 months of usage)

New Rate	Old Rate
Base Rate is $91.22 for 0 cu.ft.	Base Rate was $84.46 for 0 cu.ft.
0-6 CCF usage is $4.30 per CCF	0-6 CCF usage was $4.02 per CCF
volume >6 CCF is $8.85 per CCF	volume >6 CCF was $8.20 per CCF

NOTE: The Base Rate is a fixed charge regardless of how much of the base volume allotment is used and is billed out every two months. That is, zero usage over two months will still be billed out at the Base Rate. The tiered rates are charges for a volume of usage within a two month period OVER the base volume allotment (500 cubic feet in the case of a Single Family Residential connection), and charges for those overages are calculated on each 100 cubic feet of usage and that amount is added to the Base Rate when billed.

The rates that apply to water meters larger than the standard 3/4" are different. Larger meters generally will be found in commercial enterprises. If you are interested in those rates please contact the district office.

For further information telephone: 360.945.4696 e-mail: service@pointrobertswater.com or stop by the District Office at: 79 Tyee Dr Suite A Point Roberts, WA 98281