Customers connected to the DWP water system are charged a "readiness to serve" charge based on the size of their meter. Residential customers are billed a bimonthly service charge and commercial customers are billed a monthly service charge. This amount is billed regardless of any water usage and whether the water is turned on or off.
Since the Bear Valley is a resort destination, it is not typical of other Southern California communities. The permanent population of full-time residents averages 25,000 but can soar to about 100,000 during peak holiday weekends. Consequently, our water system must be prepared to handle that peak population at any given time.
Like all water agencies, we recover costs via rates to maintain and operate our water system, which includes pipelines, wells, reservoirs, booster stations, treatment facilities, meters, equipment, staff, etc. Moreover, we are a public agency that does not make a profit. All of our rates and fees are based on costs of service. Since our population fluctuates so dramatically, we need to rely on fixed charges to recover costs needed to operate and maintain the water system. Learn more about water rates.