Wastewater rates

Wastewater Rate Schedule - Effective July 1, 2024

EBMUD provides wastewater treatment services for Alameda, Albany, Berkeley, El Cerrito, Emeryville, Kensington, Oakland, Piedmont, and parts of Richmond. The wastewater treatment charges are detailed below and are based on the type of customer, and on wastewater strength and volume.

• Single-family Charges
• Multiple Dwelling Charges
• Non-Residential Charges
• Permit Program Fees
• Resource Recovery Fees
• Wastewater Capacity Fee
• Wet Weather Facilities Charge
• SF Bay Commercial Pollution Prevention Fee
• SF Bay Residential Pollution Prevention Fee

Single Family Monthly Charges (BCC 8800)

*1 flow unit = 1 Ccf = 100 cubic feet = 748 gallons

Multiple Dwelling (2-4 Units) Monthly Charges (BCC 6514)

*1 flow unit = 1 Ccf = 100 cubic feet = 748 gallons

Non-Residential Treatment Charges

Non-residential users are assigned typical waste strengths by business classification code (BCC) for Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) and Total Suspended Solids (TSS).

The table below presents the BCC rates. Users whose wastewater strengths exceed the assigned strengths are required to obtain wastewater discharge permits under EBMUD's permit program.

^* Treatment charge per unit of flow: 1 flow unit = 1 Ccf = 100 cubic feet = 748 gallons

Multi-Use Facility Rates effective July 1, 2024

For any accounts coded with an SD rate 5, if a Multi-Use or MT code is present, then the account will be billed at the metered rate effective 7/1/24 for the MT code as follows:

*CCUFT = 100 cubic feet = 1 Ccf = 1 flow unit = 748 gallons

Minimum strength and service charges still apply for multi-use facility accounts.

Wastewater Discharge Permit Program Fees

The following fees apply to new and existing permit holders under the provisions of the EBMUD Wastewater Control Ordinance.

FY25 Rates for Resource Recovery Material Treatment⁽¹⁾

⁽¹⁾ Payment collection for all Resource Recovery accounts shall follow the payment collection provisions contained in Section 13, Payment of Bills in the Regulations Governing Water Service to the Customers of EBMUD and Items C and K, Returned Payment Charge and Late Payment Penalty and Interest, of Schedule C of the Water System Rates and Charges.

⁽²⁾For special accommodations, additional charges for actual personnel costs, equipment costs, and lab costs associated with the special accommodation will apply. Special accommodations include services provided by the District above and beyond what is typical, such as evaluation and testing of a unique material stream, special equipment to receive and process material, accommodations for large volumes, special off-hour deliveries that require additional staff support, or special treatment requirements.

⁽³⁾Clean liquid food waste slurry must behave as a liquid and contain minimal amounts of contamination. Food waste slurries that require additional contamination removal do not qualify for this rate.

⁽⁴⁾Based on treatment costs (residual solids dewatering and disposal), gas production, volumes and other costs or benefits to the District.

Wastewater Capacity Fee

A capacity fee is assessed to each new customer or each existing customer who increases demand for treatment processing on or after July 1, 1984, measured in wastewater volume and strength.

The capacity fee is a one-time charge based on the maximum monthly wastewater volume and average strength calculated at the following rates. The Wastewater Capacity Fee for a Single Family residence (BCC 8800) is $3,130. The fees for Multi-Family units (BCC 6513 and 6514) are $1,720 per dwelling unit 500 sq. ft. or less and $2,200 per dwelling unit greater than 500 sq. ft.

^*1 flow unit = 1 Ccf = 100 cubic feet = 748 gallons

Wet Weather Facilities Charge^*

The Wet Weather Facilities Charge (WWFC) was established in 1987 (Resolution No. 31890) to recover the ongoing capital costs of implementing the District’s wet weather program. The program provides storage, conveyance, and treatment facilities for the excess wastewater flows that enter the sewer collection system during wet weather in order to prevent the release of untreated wastewater to San Francisco Bay.

The WWFC funds capital expenses associated with wet weather flows, including maintenance, replacement and rehabilitation of the District’s wet weather facilities. The WWFC is assessed on every developed parcel within the boundaries of EBMUD’s Special District No. 1 (Wastewater Service Area) that has a connection to a community sewer collection system.

The WWFC is billed annually in two stages, first on taxable parcels and later on tax-exempt parcels (mainly public agencies). The charge on taxable parcels is billed on property tax bills through the Tax Collectors’ offices in the counties of Alameda and Contra Costa. While not a tax, the WWFC is collected on property tax bills under agreements with the counties of Alameda and Contra Costa in order to separate it from regular sewage treatment charges. For tax-exempt properties, that do not receive tax bills, the charge is billed during the April to June billing periods directly to the exempt property owner by the District. Property owners on taxable properties whom the District is unable to charge via tax roll are also billed by the District at the same time as exempt parcels.

^*Collected on the property tax bill. For properties that do not receive a property tax bill, charges will be billed directly to the property owner.

SF Bay Commercial Pollution Prevention Fee

All non-residential customers in EBMUD's Wastewater System are billed a monthly SF Bay Commercial Pollution Prevention fee to fund the EBMUD Pollution Prevention Program. The monthly fee is $5.48. A separate fee is applicable to BCC 8800, BCC 6513, and BCC 6514, the residential BCCs, as noted below.

SF Bay Residential Pollution Prevention Fee

All residential customers in EBMUD's Wastewater System, including BCC 8800, BCC 6513 and BCC 6514, are billed a monthly SF Bay Residential Pollution Prevention fee to fund programs to reduce residential pollutant loadings to the treatment plant and San Francisco Bay. The monthly fee is $0.20/month per dwelling unit up to five dwelling units.