Contra Costa Water District approves 15% surcharge amid worsening drought
CONTRA COSTA COUNTY – Officials with the Contra Costa Water District approved a temporary 15% surcharge as California's drought drags on for a third straight summer.
In a meeting on Wednesday night, the agency's Board of Directors approved the surcharge, which goes into effect on July 1.
The surcharge was proposed after the district moved into Stage 2 of its Water Shortage Contingency Plan in the wake of Gov. Gavin Newsom's executive order aimed at bolstering water supplies. It seeks a 15% reduction in water use compared to 2020.
"The District has tightened expenditures and used reserves to balance finances, and we concluded that this surcharge is another temporary measure needed to maintain 24/7 water service during this drought," board president Ernesto Avila said in a statement.
The surcharge amounts to 79 cents per 748 gallons for treated water customers. For average customers who use 260 gallons of water per day, officials said the surcharge will amount to about 28 cents per day.
Customers who are able to achieve the district's call to conserve 15% will see "little to no increase" in their water bills and households who use 200 gallons per day or less will see a credit to offset the surcharge.
Contra Costa water officials are recommending customers to focus reductions on outdoor water use, which typically adds up to more than half of customer water bills. Additional water efficiency tips can be found on the agency's website.
Officials also urge customers to report water waste either online or by calling 925-688-8374.
