Rates & Fees
Helix is a not-for-profit, local government agency formed in 1913. Unlike other government agencies, we are not funded by taxes. We charge fees to recover the cost of the services we provide, and state law prohibits us from collecting a penny more.
Water Rates
- https://billing-resources.helixwater.org/portal.html#billEstimator Use our calculator to estimate your water bill
- Helix Fees and Charges Effective May 1, 2023 (PDF)
- 2023 Proposition 218 Notice for Rate Adjustments Effective May 1, 2023 thru May 1, 2026 - English (PDF)
- 2023 Proposition 218 Notice for Rate Adjustments Effective May 1, 2023 thru May 1, 2026 - Spanish (PDF)
- 2023 Cost of Service and Rates Study (PDF)
The bimonthly fixed charge is based on meter size and covers costs that do not change based on the amount of water used, such as capital projects, transmission, distribution, meters, and service. A customer's first and final bills may have this fee prorated based on the total number of days in the billing period.
Fixed charges effective May 1, 2023
Meter Size | Charge |
---|---|
≤3/4 inch | $60.39 |
1 inch | $88.22 |
1.5 inch | $185.64 |
2 inches | $283.06 |
3 inches | $624.02 |
4 inches | $1,062.39 |
6 inches | $2,245.31 |
8 inches | $3,915.31 |
The variable charge is a per unit charge for the amount of water used. One unit equals 748 gallons of water. This charge covers costs directly related to the amount of water used, such as purchases of imported water, treatment costs and pumping costs.
Helix uses a tiered rate structure for Single-Family Residential customers that charges a higher rate to those who use more water, ensuring that higher costs associated with increased water use are paid for by those consuming the most water. Irrigation customers are also charged a higher rate when they exceed their water budget, to pay for the increased cost of providing their water.
Variable charges effective May 1, 2023
Customer Class | Cost Per Unit |
---|---|
Single-Family Residential: 0 to 12 Units | $6.14 |
Single-Family Residential: 13 to 26 Units | $6.45 |
Single-Family Residential: 27 + Units | $7.86 |
Multi-Family Residential | $6.48 |
Commercial and Government | $6.53 |
Irrigation: up to 100% of the Budget | $6.63 |
Irrigation: 101% + of the Budget | $7.60 |
Helix customers will see pass-through charges from the San Diego County Water Authority as separate line items on their water bill. Pass-through charges reflect changes in wholesale rates and other charges that the Water Authority imposes on Helix. We do not control the amount of these charges.
Pass-through charges are effective January 1 and will appear on water bills starting on March 1 of each year.
Fixed pass-through charges effective January 1, 2024
Meter Size | Charge |
---|---|
≤3/4 inch | $2.20 |
1 inch | $3.67 |
1.5 inch | $8.80 |
2 inches | $13.93 |
3 inches | $31.90 |
4 inches | $55.00 |
6 inches | $117.33 |
8 inches | $205.33 |
Variable pass-through charge effective January 1, 2024
Customer Class | Cost Per Unit |
---|---|
All Classes | $0.32 |
The bimonthly dedicated fire line charge is a fixed charge that covers the cost of providing water system fire flow capacity and maintenance. These charges only apply to properties on which a fire service lateral has been installed.
Fire line charges effective May 1, 2023
Lateral Size | Charge |
---|---|
3/4 inch | $2.47 |
1 inch | $3.29 |
1 1/2 inches | $4.94 |
2 inches | $6.58 |
3 inches | $9.87 |
4 inches | $13.16 |
6 inches | $19.74 |
8 inches | $26.32 |
10 inches | $32.90 |
Service charges effective January 1, 2023.
Service | Charge |
---|---|
Late Payment | 10% of balance or $50 max |
Returned Payment | $37 |
Service Call | $29 |
Same Day Service Call | $53 |
Pending Disconnection Notice | $16 |
Shutoff | $29 |
Meter Unlock | $29 |
After Hours Meter Unlock | $156 |
Shutoff for Backflow Noncompliance | $165 |
Meter Reinstatement | $129 |
Unauthorized Water Use *Plus water theft penalties per the policies and procedures manual | $169* |
Meter Accuracy Test - Up to 1-Inch Meter | $249 |
Meter Accuracy Test - 1.5-Inch to 2-Inch Meter | $449 |
Meter Accuracy Test - 3-Inch and Larger Meter | Field Estimate |
What Water Rates Pay For
Where does my money go?
At Helix Water District, every dollar collected from customer bills goes directly towards the cost of providing our customers with a clean and reliable source of water. Let's take a look at how those expenses break down.
Forty-five percent of each bill covers the cost of purchasing imported water. That's just about half of every dollar that we spend. Thirteen percent covers the operating and maintenance costs that keep our water delivery and treatment systems up and running. Twelve percent funds capital projects such as pipeline replacements, tank retrofits and expenses to buy equipment. Eleven percent covers water treatment and quality control costs, which ensure your water is safe to drink. Six percent covers administrative expenses needed to run the district. Three percent covers engineering costs; this allows the district to design and make improvements to our water treatment and delivery systems. Two percent covers meter reading, billing and customer service expenses, so when you have a question or need some help, Helix is there for you. Three percent pays for information technology, including the computers and software for administration and customer service that keep us running. Three percent covers energy costs to treat and pump water and the electricity used to operate district facilities. Two percent repays bonds and other debt, and not one penny goes towards profits.
Helix is a not-for-profit agency. For more details, visit www.hwd.com.
Understanding the Delivery System
We don’t necessarily understand or see the inner workings of water delivery from the source water to your tap. We all too often take that process for granted.
It’s more complicated than you actually might think. Our water comes from several sources: 1) in the Colorado River; 2) up in northern California from the state water project; 3) from desalinated water in Carlsbad; and 4) we’re blessed here in the Helix Water District to have several reservoirs and a treatment plant.
We’re very fortunate in that we own Lake Cuyamaca up in the foothills in the Lagunas, and when we do get rain in the area, we take advantage of that. We capture the water in Lake Cuyamaca, run it down into Lake El Capitan where we share rights with the city of San Diego, and from there we draw water into our treatment plant.
So when the water falls from the sky, we’re actually able to treat that water and put it through our distribution system through our pump stations, and our pipes, and our treatment systems right to your tap.
The water delivery system is quite complex. It starts from your raw water coming into the system through major transmission lines. Those transmission lines feed into our treatment facility. The water is treated to an incredibly high level that meets and or exceeds oftentimes state and federal mandates. From there it goes through a series of pump stations to feed up to pump water reservoirs or tanks, the stuff that you see in your community, the big steel structures, and then from there the water gravity feeds to the actual houses. And I like to kind of compare that to somebody’s individual irrigation system where if we have a sprinkler system watering your plants, there’s a lot just involved in maintaining and repairing those things. So this water system is on a much larger scale, 733 miles with a wide variety of materials. So we have to be prepared to really respond, assess, and maintain all of that at a moment’s notice. It’s quite a complex process but we love what we do.
Our pipeline is distributed throughout the neighborhoods. Our pump stations make sure those pipelines are always under pressure. The tanks make sure we always have adequate supply and can serve our customers, and every customer has a small pipeline that’s tapped to our mains in the streets. So when you open your faucet you’re always receiving water, really from our tanks and distribution system.
The Helix Water District is a, is a large agency. We serve over 270,000 customers, you know through 56,000 connections. We have a lot of infrastructures. The infrastructure in today’s dollar amounts to about $1.6 billion. We have over 700 miles of pipelines, 25 tanks, 25 pump stations, and about 56,000 services that we feed.
As public servants, our job is to make sure that your water is delivered. As part of that goal, you never know we’re here and that means we’re doing a great job.