On Tuesday, rate changes were approved for water, sewer and recycled water based on results of recent studies to determine the actual cost of providing these services. Keep reading for additional information on what’s changing, why increases are needed and what we’re doing to reduce operating costs.

First, here’s a look at how much a typical single-family home’s bill could increase in the next three years.

Although rates are increasing, Carlsbad’s rates will still remain among the lowest in the region.

Average monthly residential water bill:

Why increases are needed

The main driver of the water rate increase is the increasing cost of purchasing water from the region’s water wholesaler, the San Diego County Water Authority. 

About one-third of the cost to provide service is specific to Carlsbad Municipal Water District.

• These costs include things like infrastructure maintenance, repair and replacement and ensuring water quality meets all federal and state standards.
• From 2021 to 2023, construction costs increased 18%, which makes infrastructure repairs and replacement more expensive.

The main reasons sewer rate increases are needed include:

• Rising costs to replace aging infrastructure
• An increase in the costs for wastewater treatment infrastructure at the Encina Wastewater Authority, where Carlsbad’s wastewater is delivered and treated.

Reducing costs

Before we put forward rate increases for consideration, we looked closely at how we can reduce our costs while still providing reliable water service. Here are a few ways we've reduced costs recently:

• Eliminated two CMWD staff positions
• Reducing our planned spending on capital projects
• Focusing on proactive maintenance before costly emergency repairs or replacements are needed (which can cost up to four times as much as planned maintenance)
• Explored new technologies for things like pipeline repair and infrastructure inspections, which can be more cost effective than previous options.

A note on desalination

We’ve received some questions about the Claude “Bud” Lewis Carlsbad Desalination Plant and how that impacts our water rates. The short answer is that although we are proud to have the desalination plant in Carlsbad, it doesn’t equate to lower water bills for our residents. Here’s why:

• While the plant is located in Carlsbad, the city does not own or operate the facility. The Water Authority purchases water at pre-defined prices from Channelside Water Resources, a private company that operates the plant.
• The desalination process is complex and requires a lot of energy, making it expensive. While it provides a critical drought-proof water supply, the water from the desalination plant is actually our region’s most expensive source of water.
• After the water is treated, it is blended with water imported from the Colorado River and Northern California, and distributed. About 17% of Carlsbad Municipal Water District’s water comes from the desalination plant.

Three water and wastewater districts serve the City of Carlsbad. You can view water and wastewater district maps to find out which district provides service to your property.

More information

Rates web page