The bill establishes guidelines for setting tap fees by boards of water districts, which apply to developers or property owners who wish to connect to public water or sewer systems. Here are the key provisions:
1. Water Service Duty:
The bill affirms that a water district has a duty to provide water service if it has the capacity to do so.
2. Tap Fee Determination:
When determining the amount of a tap fee, the board must:
Ensure that the fee is reasonably related to the actual costs incurred by the district in providing water service. This may include costs related to the acquisition of water rights.
3. Considerations for Reducing Tap Fees:
The board must also consider at least two of the following factors when setting a reduced or proportional tap fee:
Expected long-term water usage, including both indoor and outdoor use.
Square footage of the property or unit.
The presence of low-water-usage appliances, if applicable.
Number of bedrooms and bathrooms.
The presence of graywater treatment systems, if applicable.
The bill ensures that tap fees are tied to the costs incurred by the water district for providing service, with provisions to consider various factors that could justify a lower fee. These factors may include water usage patterns, property size, and water-efficient features such as low-water appliances or graywater systems.
Summary
A tap fee is a fee that is paid by a developer or property owner in
order to connect a property to a public water or sewer system. Current law allows the board (board) of any sanitation, water and sanitation, or water district (water district) to impose and set the amount of a tap fee.
The bill states that a board has a duty to provide water service if
the water district has the capacity to do so. The bill also requires a board, in determining the amount of a tap fee, to:
•
Ensure that the amount of the tap fee is reasonably related to the costs incurred by the water district in providing water service, which may include costs relating to the acquisition of water rights; and
•
Take into consideration as supporting a reduced or proportional tap fee at least 2 of the following factors: •
Expected long-term water usage, both indoor and outdoor;
•
The square footage of the unit;
•
The presence of low-water-usage appliances, if applicable;
•
The number of bedrooms and bathrooms; and
•
The presence of graywater treatment works, if applicable.
