On February 20, 2025, the Board of Directors of Westlands Water District (“District”) adopted Resolution 102-25, which established the District’s maximum allowable rates for Water Rates and Charges and Land-Based Charges in accordance with Proposition 218. Pursuant to Section 53756 of the Government Code, the District’s rates and charges were adopted with an automatic schedule of adjustments that account for inflation based on the Consumer Price Index (CPI) for all urban consumers in the Pacific Division, series ID CUUR0490SA0, in addition to pass through wholesaler charges. These rates and charges do not exceed the District’s proportional cost of providing service and may be automatically increased on March 1 of each year for a period of five years.
Notice is hereby given that the District intends to make automatic adjustments to the Fiscal Year 2026-27 rates and charges pursuant to the schedule of adjustments adopted at the public hearing held on February 20, 2025 and as set forth in Resolution 102-25.
The new maximum allowable rates and charges for 2026-27 will go into effect March 1, 2026, and are shown in the table below:
| United States Bureau of Reclamation – Pass Through Automatic Adjustment | ||
| Description | Maximum Allowable Rates for 2025-26 | Maximum Allowable Rates for 2026-27 |
| Ag Water – Contract a | $ 34.19 | $ 36.06 |
| Ag Water – Restoration Fund a | $ 13.33 | $ 13.64 |
| San Luis Delta-Mendota Water Authority – Pass Through Automatic Adjustment | ||
| Description | Maximum Allowable Rates for 2025-26 | Maximum Allowable Rates for 2026-27 |
| Authority Operations & Maintenance a | $ 76.03 | $ 67.84 |
| State Water Resource Control Board – Pass Through Automatic Adjustment | ||
| Description | Maximum Allowable Rates for 2025-26 | Maximum Allowable Rates for 2026-27 |
| Water Rights Fee a | $ 27.34 | $ 27.34 |
| Westlands Water District – Inflationary Automatic Adjustment | ||
| Description | Maximum Allowable Rates for 2025-26 | Maximum Allowable Rates for 2026-27 |
| District O&M b c | $ 83.43 | $ 86.04 |
| Groundwater Management Program b | $ 650.00 | $ 670.35 |
| Groundwater Management Program – ISMP b | $ 270.00 | $ 278.45 |
| Overuse of Water Supply b c | $ 960.00 | $ 990.05 |
| Temporary Facilities Surcharge b | $ 160.00 | $ 165.01 |
| Water Exchange Obligation b d | $ 20.75 | $ 21.40 |
| Municipal and Industrial – Inflationary Automatic Ad | ||
| Description | Maximum Allowable Rates for 2025-26 | Maximum Allowable Rates for 2026-27 |
| Acquired Supply b c | $ 308.70 | $ 318.37 |
| Acquired Supply – NASL b c | $ 987.58 | $ 1,018.50 |
| Land-based Charges – Inflationary Automatic Adjustment | ||
| Description | Maximum Allowable Rates for 2025-26 | Maximum Allowable Rates for 2026-27 |
| District Water Supply Debt Service – Pre- Merger Lands (Area 1) b | $ 2.10 | $ 2.17 |
| District Water Supply Debt Service – Merged Lands (Area 2) b | $ 4.88 | $ 5.03 |
| Extraordinary Pipe Repair b | $ 2.91 | $ 3.00 |
| Drainage Service Area e | $ 1.49 | $ 1.54 |
| Westlands Water Quality Coalition e | $ 2.61 | $ 3.73 |
| SGMA f | $ 1.41 | $ 3.17 |
| USBR Capital Repayment Debt Service b | $ 26.16 | $ 26.98 |
This notice is for informational purposes only. The Board of Directors retains full discretion to set rates that are lower than the maximum allowable rate. Any alternative lower rates to those above will be considered by the Board at the February 2026 Board meeting, once the Fiscal Year 2026-2027 budget is complete. At no time will rates be set above the maximum allowable rate without complying with Proposition 218 and other required statutes.
If you have questions about the proposed water rates and land-based charges, please call Dalia Lopez at (559) 241-6227.
- a For the current year and next four fiscal years, these amounts may be automatically adjusted to pass through the adopted increases or decreases in the rates, charges, or costs established by the levying agency.
- b Subject to an annual automatic inflationary increase each March 1 for the next five (5) years based on the Consumer Price Index (CPI) for all urban consumers in the Pacific Division, series ID CUUR0490SA0. (See Gov. Code § 53756.) September 1, 2024 = 129.242 / August 1, 2025 = 133.288 = 3.1% (inflationary increase).
- c Calculated at a 5% Water Supply forecast.
- d The Water Exchange Obligation does not require repayment for a CVP allocation of less than 8%. This rate may change as the CVP allocation fluctuates. It consists of USBR Agricultural Water – Contract, USBR Restoration, SLDMWA O&M, and SWRCB Fees.
- e This fee is not subject to Prop 218 because it is voluntary and does not provide a property-related service but is included in this notice for completeness.
- f This fee increase was adopted by Resolution 103-26 on January 22, 2026, under Water Code Section 10730
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