RATES & FEES

Our job at West County Wastewater is to protect public health and the environment by safely and responsibly collecting and treating wastewater – keeping our community safe while helping to make our planet better for future generations.

Our team is dedicated to the community we serve, providing 24-hour sewer emergency response, and meeting the sewer needs of our customers. We operate a 12.5 million gallons per day Water Quality and Resource Recovery Plant and maintain 249 miles of sanitary sewer collection lines, 17 lift stations, and six miles of pressure force mains.

To keep systems running smoothly and provide high quality, reliable service, WCW collects a variety of rates and fees – ranging from sewer use rates and connection fees to sewer permit and map review fees. Costs depend on the type of customer and the service provided. View our complete fee schedule below, effective as of July 1, 2020.

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SEWER PERMITS
FEE SCHEDULE

WCW is a fee-for-service agency. The Sewer Use Charge (SUC) is the primary source of revenue for operating and capital expenditures for the collection and treatment of wastewater. WCW sets SUC rates based on the reasonable cost of providing service to WCW customers: collecting and treating wastewater and maintaining its infrastructure. This SUC charge is collected from all customers along with property taxes on each parcel’s property tax. This SUC is essential to WCW protecting the public health and safety of our community and water and wildlife of the San Pablo Bay.

On June 16, 2021, the WCW Board of Directors adopted a five-year schedule of changes to the Environmental Quality (Sewer Use) Charge. The rates became effective July 1, 2021, and will be adjusted annually on July 1 of 2022, 2023, 2024, and 2025. Learn more by clicking the links below.

Annexation is when a property not within WCW district boundaries requests to have the property included within WCW boundaries in order to connect to the WCW system. This could be a vacant parcel or parcel currently using a septic system. The fee covers the costs of the annexation process only and not the cost to connect to the system.

  • Plan approval is required for any additions to existing building footprint and for new buildings. The applicant must deliver plot plans to WCW for review, even if no plumbing changes are involved in construction. WCW staff review building plans for: possible encroachment into WCW easements; conflicts with WCW facilities; and potential for added burden to the public sewer system.
  • Sewer permits are required for new construction, sewer lateral repairs, and changes. A permit must be issued prior to performing the work. All work must be in accordance with WCW ordinance requirements. When work is complete the WCW inspector will inspect the work to ensure compliance with WCW requirements and finalize the sewer permit.
  • Fee amounts are based upon the WCW cost of service.

This is a customer service provided upon request. This allows the customer to obtain WCW advice on requirements for new construction. It is typically used by subdivision contractors. Fee amounts are based on the WCW cost of service.

WCW charges a connection fee for new or modified connections to the WCW sewer system. This “system buy-in” fee is intended to pay the new customer’s proportionate share of the cost of building the sewer system. This provides equity to existing customers so that ongoing sewer service charge rates are not disproportionately burdened by the accommodation of system growth. WCW uses capacity charge fee revenue to fund capital investments in the wastewater system through capital replacements, rehabilitations, and design and construction of planned facilities.

WCW operations are conducted under a National Pollution Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit issued by the San Francisco Bay Regional Water Quality Control Board. This permit requires WCW to conduct pretreatment inspections of certain businesses: food service establishments, dental facilities, permitted industrial users, and auto service facilities. The purpose of the inspection is to confirm that the business is complying with pretreatment requirements such as maintaining grease traps and other contaminant collectors. Fee amounts are based on the WCW cost of service.

This permit covers the cost of short term and limited wastewater discharge into the sewer collection system. Cost is determined on the amount and strength of wastewater discharge.

* The $10 dishonored check fee reimburses WCW for bank fees for “bounced” checks.

* The collection fee is based on WCW actual cost to collect delinquent charges. The fee may include collection agency fees, applicable County charges, legal fees, and court costs.

WCW shall refund services fees to the person requesting the services only upon proof that the requested service was not performed. If any portion of the requested services is performed, then no portion of the fee shall be refunded. Connection fees shall be refunded to the owner of the property for which the connection was requested upon proof that the connection was not completed.

AUTHORITY: WEST COUNTY WASTEWATER DISTRICT CODE CHAPTER 8.20.030