Earlier editions: 2026-07
Title 4 — Town Water Systems and Rates
Inyo County Municipal Code Ch. 4.14 Monthly Water Rates
Inyo County Municipal Code · 2026-10 edition · updated 2026-10-04 · Inyo County
Cite as: Inyo County Municipal Code Chapter 4.14 · Text as of 2026-10-04
§ 4.14.010. Applicability.¶
The monthly water rates set forth in this chapter apply to all domestic, industrial, commercial, governmental, and any other use of water provided and supplied by the county under this title, including temporary service.
(Ord. 1008 § 1, 1999)
§ 4.14.020. Monthly water rates.¶
Customers will be charged on a monthly basis for the quantity of water used by them.
A. Domestic Water Service. Applicable to domestic water service to single-family dwellings only.
- Monthly Rates.
a. Basic Service Charge. Each customer will be charged a basic service charge for each month that water is used by them. This charge is a fixed amount for each service connection. The basic service charge is twenty-two dollars and eighty-nine cents.
b. Commodity Charge. Each customer will be charged each month that water is used by them, a commodity charge based upon the quantity of water used by them during the month. The commodity charge is one dollar and ninety-five cents per meter or $0.333 per billing unit (one hundred cubic feet), which ever is greater.
c. Minimum Charge. For each month that water is used, the minimum charge shall be the basic service-charge twenty-two dollars and eighty-nine cents plus the minimum commodity charge one dollar and ninety-five cents.
d. Inflation. The basic service charge shall be adjusted annually on January 1st for inflation. The adjustment shall be calculated using the Los Angeles-Riverside-Orange County, CA, Consumer Price Index, as determined by the United States Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics.
- Special Conditions.
a. Billing. The bill shall be the sum of the commodity charge and the basic service charge.
b. Lifeline Service Discount Provision.
i. Available to any customer so long as the combined adjusted gross income (as determined in accordance with the California Personal Income Tax Law) of all members living in the household in which such customer resides was less than the maximum income levels set out below for the calendar year ending at least six months but not more than eighteen months prior to the date on which an application for lifeline service discount is made.
| Members in Household | Maximum Income Level |
|---|---|
| 1 | $ 15,653 |
| 2 | 21,000 |
| 3 | 26,347 |
| 4 | 31,693 |
| 5 | 37,040 |
| 6 | 42,389 |
| 7 | $ 47,733 |
| 8 | 53,080 |
| For each additional member add: | 5,347 |
ii. Eligibility for lifeline service discount shall be subject to verification by evidence provided by the customer in the form of a current statement or invoice from another local utility, indicating that the customer receives a low income exemption or reduction from that utility.
iii. A discount of fifty percent of the basic service charge, as set forth in subsection (A)(1) of this section, shall be applied to the next bill of customers who establish their eligibility, and shall continue to be applied to future bills so long as the customer remains eligible.
iv. An application for lifeline service discount shall be made on a form furnished by the county. The application shall specify the name, location, and number of members in the household. In addition, the application shall also require each customer to certify, under penalty of perjury, that the annual combined adjusted gross income of the household does not exceed the maximum income levels stated in subsection (2)(b)(i) of this section.
v. Prior to December 31st of each even-numbered year, a customer currently receiving a lifeline discount shall submit a new application for lifeline service discount which shall establish that the customer is still eligible for the discount.
vi. In the event that the county determines that a customer is ineligible for a lifeline service discount subsequent to approval of their application, all discounts received since the effective date that the customer was determined to be ineligible shall be repaid to the county. The amount due for ineligible discounts shall be included on the next billing statement or series of statements, as determined by the county.
B. General Water Service. Applicable to commercial and industrial water service, domestic multifamily water service and any other water service for which no other rate schedule is specified.
- Monthly Rates.
a. Basic Service Charge. Each customer will be charged a basic service charge for each month that water is used by them. This charge will be a fixed amount based upon the meter size. The basic service charge shall be as follows:
| Meter Size | Charge per Meter |
|---|---|
| 1-inch and smaller | $ 32.59 |
| 1 ½-inch | 43.08 |
| 2-inch | 51.50 |
| 3-inch | 94.42 |
| 4-inch | 134.81 |
| 6-inch | 224.85 |
| 8-inch | 418.39 |
| 10-inch | 494.13 |
| 12-inch | 628.77 |
| 14-inch | 965.37 |
| 16-inch | 1,150.50 |
| 18-inch | 1,352.46 |
| 20-inch | 1,537.59 |
b. Commodity Charge. Each customer will be charged each month that water is used by them, a commodity charge based upon the quantity of water used by them during the month. The commodity charge is $0.280 per billing unit (one hundred cubic feet).
c. Minimum Charge. For each month that water is used, the minimum charge shall be the basic service charge plus the commodity charge.
d. Inflation. The basic service charge shall be adjusted annually on January 1st for inflation. The adjustment shall be calculated using the Los Angeles-Riverside-Orange County, CA, Consumer Price Index, as determined by the United States Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics.
- Special Conditions.
a. Billing. The bill shall be the sum of the commodity charge and the basic service charge.
C. Public Fire Hydrant Services. Applicable to public fire hydrant service.
- Monthly Rates.
Ten dollars and eight cents per hydrant.
D. Temporary Construction Service. Applicable to temporary water service for construction purposes.
- Monthly Rates.
a. Basic Service Charge. Each customer will be charged a basic service charge for each month that water is used by them. This charge will be a fixed amount for each service connection. The basic service charge shall be twenty-two dollars and eighty-nine cents.
b. Commodity Charge. Each customer will be charged each month that water is used by them, a commodity charge based upon the quantity of water used by them during the month. The commodity charge is $0.280 per billing unit (one hundred cubic feet).
The commodity charge for unmetered services shall be based on the use of one hundred cubic feet of water for each or any portion of the following construction activity units:
i. Laying each one thousand bricks.
ii. Settling each four hundred square feet of fine grade.
iii. Settling each twenty-five cubic yards of filled ground (at the site of the fill).
iv. Settling the refill of fifteen linear feet of trench having a cross section of twenty square feet or less.
v. Settling the refill of each three hundred cubic feet of trench having a cross section in excess of twenty square feet.
- Special Conditions.
a. Billing. The bill shall be the sum of the commodity charge and the basic service charge.
E. School Grounds, Publicly Owned Recreation Facilities and Street and Sanitary Facilities. Applicable to water service for use in publicly owned parks, playgrounds, golf courses and lakes; on publicly owned grounds contiguous to all governmental buildings; and on publicly owned grounds used by an educational institution with an area of not less than three acres exclusive of streets, sidewalks, alleys and lands occupied by buildings; also applicable to water service to governmental agencies for sweeping or flushing public streets, storm drains, sewers and culverts.
- Monthly Rates.
a. Basic Service Charge. Each customer will be charged a basic service charge for each month that water is used by them. This charge will be a fixed amount based upon the meter size. The basic service charge shall be as follows:
| Meter Size | Charge per Meter |
|---|---|
| 1-inch and smaller | $ 32.59 |
| 1 ½-inch | 43.08 |
| 2-inch | 51.50 |
| 3-inch | 94.42 |
| 4-inch | 134.81 |
| 6-inch | 224.85 |
| 8-inch | 418.39 |
| 10-inch | 494.13 |
| 12-inch | 628.77 |
| 14-inch | 965.37 |
| 16-inch | 1,150.50 |
| 18-inch | 1,352.46 |
| 20-inch | 1,537.59 |
b. Commodity Charge. Each customer will be charged each month that water is used by them, a commodity charge based upon the quantity of water used by them during the month. The commodity charge is $0.153 per billing unit (one hundred cubic feet).
c. Minimum Charge. For each month that water is used, the minimum charge shall be the basic service charge plus the commodity charge.
d. Inflation. The service availability charge shall be adjusted annually on January 1st for inflation. The adjustment shall be calculated using the Los Angeles-Riverside-Orange County, CA, Consumer Price Index, as determined by the United States Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics.
- Special Conditions.
a. Billing. The bill shall be the sum of the commodity charge and the basic service charge.
b. Separate Service for Buildings. Service under this schedule will be provided to the grounds of governmental buildings and educational institutions; however, service to the buildings shall be provided separately at rates specified in subsection B of this section.
c. Applicability of Basic Service Charge. The basic service charge shall not apply to water service to public agencies for sweeping or flushing streets, storm drains, sewers and culverts when the water used is taken from public fire hydrants.
(Ord. 1008 § 1, 1999; Ord. 1093 § 4, 2005)
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