City of Rohnert Park - Resolution 2018-060

Rates effective on bills rendered after 1/1/2022

Residential Rates:

Monthly Base Charge                                  $10.31
Flow Charge (per thousand gallons)       $11.77
Capitol Preservation Charge (monthly) $ 6.00          

Commercial Rates:

Monthly Base Charge billed per meter, based on meter size

Up to 3/4" meter                        $    31.24
1" meter                                       $    47.63
1.5" meter                                    $    88.20
2" meter                                       $   137.09
3" meter                                       $   251.25
4" meter                                       $   414.31
6" meter                                       $   821.55
8" meter                                       $  1310.46

Monthly Capital Preservation Charges (based on meter size)

Up to 3/4" meter                         $  15.00
1" meter                                       $   25.00
1.5" meter                                    $   50.00
2" meter                                       $  80.00
3" meter                                       $ 150.00
4" meter                                       $ 250.00
6" meter                                       $ 500.00
8" meter                                       $ 800.00

Flow Charge (per thousand gallons) based on wastewater "strength"

Multi-Family Residential                $ 11.77
Commercial - Low Strength           $ 12.33
Commercial - Med Strength           $16.75
Commercial - High Strength          $25.54

Categorization of Business Type to Strength Classification

Low Strength
Bar without food
Beauty Salon
Car wash
Church
Convalescent home
Dry cleaners
Health club/spa
Hospital
Hotel/motel w/o restaurant
Laundromat
Manufacturing w/o process disch.
Office building
Public/municipal building
Retail stores
Schools

Medium Strength
Auto repair facilities
Auto service stations
Commercial laundry
Hotel/motel w/ restaurant
Mixed use, incl. restaurants
Restaurant w/ grease interceptor
Retail with food services

High Strength
Bakery
Bar with food
Grocery w/ bakery, butcher, or 
       food waste grinder
Mortuary
Restaurant w/o grease interceptor


Winter Average/Sewer Cap

The City of Rohnert Park bills commercial sewer customers based on the amount of wastewater they generate.  Sewer charges for commercial accounts and accounts that meter domestic and irrigation usage separately are billed according to actual consumption for the billing period.  Sewer charges for residential utility accounts, including single-family residences and multi-family residences, are billed according to the winter average/sewer cap.

The winter average/sewer cap is the most equitable form of billing for our residential and multi-family customers.  The City of Rohnert Park determines the winter average/sewer cap by averaging the billing periods during the Winter season.  These are typically wet months when it can be reasonably assumed that residents are using all water indoors, and therefore virtually all water is also being released into the sewer system as wastewater.

For example, the winter average/sewer cap calculation:

Period 1

8,000 gallons

Period 2

9,000 gallons

Period 3

7,000 gallons

Total consumption: 8,000 + 9,000 + 7,000 = 24,000

Total number of reading periods(months) 2022-23 winter average/sewer cap = 3

Total consumption 24,000 / Total number of periods(months) 3 = 8,000 gallons  

Winter average/sewer cap = 8,000

Therefore, based on this winter average/sewer cap, the maximum the City would bill this resident for sewer usage would be 8,000 gallons.

The sewer portion of this resident's utility bill would appear as follows:

Sewer Fixed

$  10.31

Sewer Usage

$  94.16

The winter average/sewer cap is re-evaluated every year; the new winter average/sewer cap is applied to residents' accounts starting each April.  A decrease in usage during December, January and February will lower the winter average/sewer cap for the following year.  If the water usage during a billing period is ever less than the winter average/sewer cap, the sewer charges will be based on consumption, not the winter average/sewer cap.  New accounts are assigned a winter average/sewer rate according to the number of residents living at the property.

Typical Winter Average/Sewer Cap amounts:

Number of people in household

Monthly Winter Average/Sewer Cap

1

2,000

2

4,000

3

6,000

4

8,000

5

10,000

6

12,000