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 $65.90 for 500 cubic feet. 500 cubic feet translates to approximately 3,740 gallons. At that rate, the water costs less than 2 cents per gallon. 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 the conversions:

CCF = 100 Cubic Feet = 748 gallons

5 CCF = 3,740 gallons

12 CCF = 8,976 gallons

14 CCF = 10,472 gallons

40 CCF = 29,920 gallons

Comparisons of the Water Rate Structure

Effective January 1, 2011

Single Family Residential and Multi-Family Residential (2-4 units) with standard 3/4 inch meter (covering two months of usage)

NEW RATE STRUCTURE	OLD RATE STRUCTURE
0 - 5 CCF base rate $65.90	0 - 5 CCF base rate $61.26
6 - 14 CCF $1.86 per CCF	6 - 14 CCF $1.67 per CCF
15 - 40 CCF $2.50 per CCF	15 - 40 CCF $2.25 per CCF
volume over 40 CCF $4.45 per CCF	volume over 40 CCF $4.00 per CCF

Commercial and Multi-Family Residential (5 or more units) with standard 3/4 inch meter (covering two months of usage)

NEW RATE STRUCTURE	OLD RATE STRUCTURE
0 CCF base rate $71.27	0 - 5 CCF base rate $152.17
0 - 6 CCF $3.61 per CCF	volume over 5 CCF $3.61 per CCF
volume over 6 CCF $7.00 per CCF

NOTE: The base rate is a fixed charge regardless of how much of the base volume is used. Zero usage over two months will still be charged at the base rate. The tiered rates are charges for any volume of usage within a two month period OVER the base amount, and charges for the overages (over 500 cubic feet in the case of Single Family Residential and over zero cubic feet in the case of Commercial) are calculated on each 100 cubic feet of usage.

The rates for water meters larger than the standard 3/4" are different. The 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: sales@pointrobertswater.com or stop by the District Office at: 79 Tyee Dr Suite A Point Roberts, WA 98281