On June 17, the DWA Board of Directors approved a rate increase – the third in a previously adopted five-year rate plan – for water, recycled water and wastewater.
As a public agency, DWA cannot profit from its operations. Rates are determined by the cost of providing service.
Updated rates for recycled water will go into effect on July 1, 2025, and will appear on August bills.
New rates for potable water and DWA’s wastewater service charge will go into effect on January 1, 2026, and appear on February 2026 water bills. The new rates are timed to start when water usage is typically the lowest, helping minimize the initial impact.
The rate increase is based on an independent study that showed rates were not adequately covering the cost of service. The updated rates will help the Agency continue to upgrade its distribution system and ensure the delivery of safe and reliable water.
The five-year rate plan was approved in 2023 following a series of public meetings. For more information on that rate plan and approval process, go to www.dwa.org/Prop218.
In addition to DWA’s charge for wastewater services, the Agency passes through sewage treatment charges imposed by Coachella Valley Water District (CVWD) and the City of Palm Springs. These treatment fees are collected by DWA on customers’ monthly bills and are remitted in full to CVWD and the City of Palm Springs.
Effective July 1, 2025, customers whose sewage is collected by DWA and sent to CVWD for treatment will see a new rate of $39.62 per Equivalent Dwelling Unit (EDU), which includes CVWD’s new rate of $31.96, adopted by CVWD on June 24, 2025, and DWA’s current wastewater fee of $7.66. Customers affected by these charges live in Cathedral City.
For more information or to see DWA’s updated rates, go to www.dwa.org/rates.