Introduction to Budget-Based Water Rates

Known as "water budget" rates when first implemented in 1991 at the Irvine Ranch Water District, this style of "efficiency" rate design is seen as a fair and equitable way to charge customers based on their individual water needs and to encourage water use efficiency. A prominent feature of successful "efficiency-based" rates is a water agency's ability to accurately recover fixed costs while promoting conservation at the same time. This addresses the revenue/conservation dilemma many agencies have… Show more experienced over the past decade. Agencies that have implemented water budget or efficiency-based rates have experienced more accurate and stable revenue recovery and increased water use efficiency across customers.
A panel of leading experts will focus on the varying structures of budget-based rates around the state and evaluate the pros and cons of each. Other topics will include specific case studies, strategies on presenting the program to decision makers for buy-in, tips on educating your customers and lessons learned.

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