Effective May 1, 2008, CVWD established a phased-in tiered water rate structure. The increased rates will assist the District in continuing to meet operational needs, improve upon existing infrastructure, recover increasing expenses, and build new infrastructure to ensure an adequate water supply.  

The new water rate structure better reflects the range of costs for various water supplies, keep consumption charges low for customers who conserve water, and provides a financial incentive for water conservation. The four-tiered structure charges customers for water use in each successive tier. For example, the first 10 units of water are charged at the Tier 1 rate, the next 30 units are charged at the Tier 2 rate, and so on.

Tiered Water Commodity Rate   (per hcf)	5/1/2010	5/1/2011	5/1/2012	5/13/2013	5/1/2014
Tier 1	$1.40	$1.43	$1.46	$1.49	$1.52
Tier 2	$1.60	1.66	1.72	1.78	1.84
Tier 3	$1.80	1.92	2.05	2.19	2.34
Tier 4	$2.00	2.17	2.35	2.54	2.75
Meter Size  Allocation in   Unit (hcf)	Hydraulic   Capacity	Tier 1	Tier 2	Tier 3	Tier 4
3/4-inch	1	0-10	11-40	41-100	>100
1-inch	1.67	0-17	18-67	68-167	>167
1.5-inch	3.33	0-33	34-133	134-333	>333
2-inch	5.33	0-53	54-213	214-533	>533
3-inch	10	0-100	101-400	401-1,000	>1,000
4-inch	16.67	0-167	168-667	668-1,667	>1,667
6-inch	33.33	0-333	334-1,333	1,334-3,333	>3,333
8-inch	53.33	0-533	534-2,133	2,134-5,333	>5,333
10-inch	80	0-800	801-3,200	3,201-8,000	>8,000
12-inch	120	0-1,200	1,201-4,800	4,801-12,000	>12,000

* 1 unit of water equals 748 gallons.

You can request a copy of CVWD’s annual water quality report (also known as a Consumer Confidence Report or CCR)

The water quality report discusses the quality of your water (based on the last calendar year), including any problems or detections of drinking water contaminants, and what is being done to correct the situation.

We are pleased to report that CVWD has an unblemished record in supplying our customers with clean, safe drinking water.

Refer to our Water Quality Report for more information.

First, get a copy of our annual water quality report before you pay to test your water. This report will tell you which contaminants, if any, have been found in your drinking water and at what level. You are always free to conduct additional sampling for your residence; however, in most cases this is not necessary.

Without knowing what to look for, the cost of testing drinking water on a hit or miss basis can be very high. Depending on how many contaminants you test for, a water test can cost from fifteen dollars to hundreds of dollars. If you test for all possible contaminants, testing costs reach into the thousands of dollars.

Several State and Federal Regulatory Agencies govern water quality and testing of public water supply systems. Your drinking water is regularly sampled and tested for harmful bacteria, mineral and heavy metal contaminants and other constituents in order to maintain regulatory compliance.

Water System  Customers are responsible for the water service line from the water meter to the house. CVWD is responsible for the water service line from the mainline in the street up to and including the water meter. If a pressure regulator is installed to adjust the water pressure on your property, the customer is responsible to perform periodic maintenance on this device. A CVWD Field Service Representative can assist you with adjusting your pressure regulator. If you suspect a break on CVWD's side of the meter, please call the District immediately.

Sewer System Customers are responsible for their sewer line from their property line to the house, which includes the sewer "clean out" and "back-water valve." The back-water valve is installed to prevent any back up sewage from CVWD's system into the customer's property. The back-water valve should be inspected and maintained periodically by a local plumbing service to ensure it is functioning properly. The diagrams below illustrate the distinction between customer responsibility and CVWD responsibility.

The State of California Department of Public Health (CDPH) requires te CVWD to flush hydrants and dead end lines (in cul-de-sac streets) to remove stagnant water. This requirement ensures customers continue to receive high quality water every day. Each line in the CVWD service area must be flushed once a year, taking 2 to 5 minutes per line using up to 1,000 gallons of water each time.

Most of the water flushed from the lines runs into the San Bernardino County Flood Control Channel and disperses into local recharge basins. Approximately 20% of the water can be captured in the recharge basins. The water percolates into our underground aquifer and can be pumped out later. The percolation process acts as a natural filtration system, cleaning the water as it is stored in the aquifer.

In order to guarantee all CVWD customers receive high quality water, it is necessary to flush water lines.

CVWD does not endorse or recommend specific home water treatment units. If, however, you are considering buying a home treatment device because of health concerns (e.g., you have a severely compromised immune system), make sure that the device is certified by the California Department of Public Health (CDPH).  The California Department of Public Health treatment device certification website is:

http://www.cdph.ca.gov/certlic/device/Pages/watertreatmentdevices.aspx

For additional help in picking a unit, go to this independent non-profit organization:

NSF International

Bacteria growing in sink drains can generate odors. Although, the odors seem to be coming from the water; the odor is really coming from the drain. When water runs down the drain, the odor is forced out where you can smell it.

A cup of household bleach poured down the drain will help kill the bacteria and take care of the septic smell. Hot water heaters can also harbor bacteria that cause odors. If your sink drain is not the source, check your hot water for odor.

Chlorine is added to tap water to make sure that any harmful germs in the water are killed. When you can taste or smell a bit of chlorine, your water has been properly treated.

If you taste or smell chorine in your water and consider it unpleasant, you can purchase a point of use treatment unit to remove the taste of chlorine. Consumers interested in a point of use water treatment device should "shop around" first. Carefully read the product information to understand what you are buying before purchasing. No single device takes out every kind of drinking water contaminant; you must decide which type best meets your needs. Once purchased, be certain to follow the instructions provided by the manufacturer for operation and maintenance, especially changing the filter on a regular basis.

Water in the distribution system is under pressure and air sometimes dissolves in the water within the pressurized lines; the quality of the water is not affected by the entrained air. Once released at the faucet, the dissolved air gives water a “cloudy” or “milky” appearance; in fact, many faucets have an aeration feature built in.

Rusty looking water is due to iron oxides from water lines that are constructed of cast iron or galvanized steel. When water stands in the mains, fire hydrants, or in a customer’s galvanized service or internal lines, it will naturally dissolve the iron and you can expect periods of discolored water. Rusty water at the cold water tap at the first draw in the morning is probably from your plumbing. If only the hot water is rusty, the source is probably your hot water system. If your cold water suddenly becomes rusty, there may be construction in the area, fire hydrant flushing, or fire hydrant use in the area. These episodes are temporary and will easily be cleared up on their own.

Note: Over 99% of our distribution mainlines are cement lined and do not contribute rust color into the system.