San Diego Water District adopts new fee schedule, creates meter-installation categories and per-sheet plan-check charges

The San Diego Water District Board of Directors voted unanimously to adopt a resolution adjusting miscellaneous fees and deposits, including new per‑sheet plan‑check charges and three categories for meter and service installations, during a public hearing at the board meeting.

Principal Engineer Elmer Alex told the board the changes are intended to achieve full cost recovery for developer‑initiated actions and avoid subsidizing those services through general water rates. "The goal of these fees is for full cost recovery and full cost recovery avoids subsidizing these services with general water rates," Alex said.

Staff presented background showing the district already indexes construction‑related fees to the Engineering News‑Record construction cost index (ENR) and non‑construction fees to the Consumer Price Index (CPI). For the prior calendar year staff reported a 3.1% CPI increase applied to non‑construction fees and a 3.7% ENR increase applied to construction‑related fees. Staff proposed applying those indices to the existing fee schedule and moving certain flat…