Water Rates To Shoot Up For Some South OC Residents: What To Know

TRABUCO CANYON, CA — Some Orange County residents will be paying more for their water bill every month, after the Trabuco Canyon Water District passed a proposal to increase rates for new water, wastewater and recycled water in a special June 29 meeting.

The proposed rates were applied to bills starting July 1, with rates incrementally increasing over the next five years.

The rates will increase for water with an average single-family bill, rising from the current average of $133.38 per month to $287.80 per month. The increased rates will add $24 million in revenue to the district, according to the staff report.

The Trabuco Canyon Water District also approved a new annual tax on all property owners.

According to a TCWD report, the proposed "Single Family Waste Water Tax" will cost property owners $551.04 per year after it is added to residents' property tax bills starting in 2024.

The tax will increase incrementally on each year's property tax until it reaches its final cost of $930.36 per year starting in 2028.

According to board members, the increased rates are a result of inflation and the district's "aging infrastructure."