Monthly Invoice Overview

Rainbow Water is a government agency established in 1953 with a mission to deliver safe and reliable water to the community. The District is only allowed to charge for the cost to provide service without markup or profit. Any unused funds are held in reserve to help cover costs in future years and keep rates lower. The majority of the bill accounts for the purchase of imported water sourced over 500 miles away from the Northern California Sierra Nevada mountains, and the Rocky Mountains through the Colorado River. Rainbow Water purchases water from the water wholesale supplier, it is transported, stored, and distributed across the 320 miles of pipeline throughout the service area. 

A Guide to Terms and Charges
To help better understand the fees, below is a sample invoice with list of the most common terms and charges.

1. Meter Size: Water meters vary in size from 5/8” up to 6”.

2. Class Code: The meter class code identifies the water capacity class for water fixed charges. Class codes have an A-H scale in three classifications:

• Agriculture (AG), agriculture with residence (AD)
• Permanent special agricultural water rate - PSAWR domestic (PD) & PSAWR commercial (PC)
• Single-family (SFR), multi-family (MF), commercial (CM), and institutional (INS)

3. Penalty & Adjustments: Revisions to previous billing are applied and may include adjustments due to a leak or inaccuracies in billing.

4. Sewer Fee: The monthly fixed charge for wastewater services is based on home size (equivalent dwelling unit) to represent the estimated sewer flows.

5. Water Fixed Charge: The monthly fixed fee is based on meter size to recover the fixed costs the District incurs to operate and maintain its water storage and delivery system, and the fixed costs our wholesaler imported water provider charges the District to maintain the system to bring water into region. Fees include the costs to maintain and replace mainlines, meters, valves, and storage reservoirs, and fixed charge pass-through from our wholesale water provider.

6. Water Usaage Variable Charge :The charge is based on the actual amount of water consumed in the billing period and recovers the cost the District has to pay to buy each unit of imported water from its wholesaler, and recovers variable costs the District pays to maintain its own infrastructure.

7. Pump Usage: The usage variable charge recovers energy costs to customers who reside in higher elevation pump zones that require water to be pumped in order to receive water service. 

8. Pump Fixed: The fixed fees recover the cost to maintain pump stations that move water to service areas located at higher elevations.

9. Backflow Test Fee: The charge refers to costs associated from the backflow program for ratepayers requiring backflow devices to help regulate water flow.

The Billing Cycle

Rainbow Water has a monthly billing cycle for permanent and temporary meters. The monthly bill is calculated based upon fixed charges, variable rates, and pumping charges. 
 

Questions

The Rainbow Water Customer Service Team is available to answer your questions  and to update your contact information to ensure you recieve monthly invoices, and service updates. Learn more about payment plans, bill payments, and rate options by calling (760) 728-1178. Office hours are Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m .