• The system works via wireless signals sent from a small radio unit inside the meter box that is connected to the water meter. The meter radio unit sends readings to three data collector units that then transmit the meter reading data to receivers at the District's headquarters.
• Data collectors are located on three existing water tanks located throughout the District's service area.
• Each radio unit will send a 111-millisecond usage report from the meter to the District four times per day.

• The advanced metering system takes vehicles off the road, significantly reducing the District's carbon footprint.
• Our new smart meters include the addition of a web-based reporting system that enables customers to track their daily water use and learn about strategies for saving water and reducing their utility bill.
• Thanks to its advanced technology and backup systems in the field, the new system provides accurate and timely water use data regardless of weather conditions or power outages.

• The transmitters use one-quarter of the power of a cellphone. The amount of exposure to radio waves decreases with the square of the distance from the source. Exposure to radio waves from smart meters is minimal compared to cellphones.
• Transmission time for the units we are installing totals 15 seconds per day.
• The wireless portions of the system will be operated according to Federal Communications Commission rules, and will not interfere with other radio frequencies in the area.

For questions that can't be found on our site, call the District's AMI Hotline at 949-342-1400.

In recognition of financial challenges facing customers during the COVID-19 pandemic, the District's Board of Directors suspended a proposed rate increase that was to become effective on January 1, 2021. The District's Board is now looking to adjust rates based on the current cost of providing water service.

The District annually evaluates its service needs, programs, capital costs, maintenance and operational expenses, and existing revenues before recommending rate adjustments to the District’s Commission and Board of Directors. To continue the District’s long tradition of providing reliable water service to our customers, rate adjustments are needed to cover costs and expenses necessary to maintain service levels, create long-term financial sustainability, and ensure high water quality and reliability.

There have been many changes to the District’s water supply arrangements, cost structures, and operations since the District’s last cost of service analysis and water rate study was completed in 2014. Given these conditions, the rate study effort factored in the following components:

• An historic state-wide drought in 2015 and a current drought have permanently affected how we view the supply, management, and use of water throughout the state.
• In 2016, a groundwater rights agreement between the District and the Orange County Water District was executed, allowing the District to procure up to 2,025 acre feet of groundwater from the Santa Ana Basin. Unfortunately, in 2020, the District’s conveyor of groundwater, the City of Newport Beach, experienced difficulties with its wells which has restricted groundwater delivery to the District. As a result of this condition, the District has not received groundwater for most of the year and may not receive groundwater in the next year or two until well reliability issues improve at the City. This situation requires that the District buy more expensive imported water to meet customer demand.
• The District is embarking on a much-needed capital asset replacement and rehabilitation program thus improving District assets to ensure water supply reliability to all customers.

Unless otherwise indicated in the section titled “Service Period” on your water bill, the District bills two months of water service (60) days.

The District's Rate Study and Analysis Report provides information as well as documentation illustrating the rate setting process and bases for the proposed rates. The report documents a multi-year rate setting strategy consisting of a series of annual rate adjustments over the next five years. You can view the Rate Study and Analysis Report by clicking the link.

The rate adjustments would be effective March 1 of each year beginning 2022 through 2026 without further rate hearings. Once adopted, the proposed rates would be subject to pass-through charges, which could include increased costs from our wholesale water suppliers and/or “penalties” or “surcharges” for water use that exceeds the water supply allocation imposed on the District by its wholesale suppliers.

The District’s last cost of service analysis and water rate study was completed in 2014. From this effort, the proposed rates developed through the study were adopted by the District Board of Directors in 2014. The adopted rate structure supported increases to commodity rates and service charges through calendar year 2019. Since this time, the Tier 1 commodity rate has not increased beyond $5.25 per unit of water and the Tier 2 commodity rate and bi-monthly service charges have not increased since calendar year 2020.

In August 2019, District staff embarked on a new rate study aimed at updating rates to meet the current and projected costs of providing water service to District customers and adjusting the bases and formulas underlying customer rates and charges. In 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the District decided to suspend the implementation of the proposed rates. In January 2021, District staff re-instituted the rate study process.

The state’s CA COVID-19 Rent Relief program has funding available for eligible renters who have been impacted by COVID-19 and need help paying past due or future utility bills. Unpaid utility bills dating back to April 1, 2020 will be compensated at 100 percent of cost, limited to a total of 12 months, and paid directly to the utility provider. Eligible renters may also receive assistance with future payments.

Renters can check eligibility and apply at HousingIsKey.com or by calling 833-430-2122.

Unfortunately, the District is prohibited under State law (Proposition 218) to charge less for water service to one group over any other group.

However, the Low-Income Water Rate Assistance Act established through Assembly Bill 401 (Dodd, 2015) directs the State Water Resources Control Board (State Water Board) to prepare a plan, in collaboration with the State Board of Equalization, that covers funding and implementation of a Low-Income Water Rate Assistance Program. The report to the legislature will build off the process to develop a Low-Income Water Rate Assistance Program and include findings on the feasibility, financial stability, and desired structure of the program, including any recommendations for legislative action.

The District’s office hours are Monday thru Thursday, 8:00am – 5:00pm.

You will know the call is a District Water Alert when your Caller ID displays:

• 866-419-5000 or Emergency Comm for Emergency Notifications
• 855-969-4636 or Community Alert for General Notifications

We recommend that you program these numbers into your cell phone as a new contact and use "LBCWD Water Alert" or "Water Alert" as the contact's name.

If your water usage is within your water budget, you will be billed at the Tier 1 rate. If you exceed your budget, you will be charged a higher Tier 2 rate for each unit you are over. Based on current water use, approximately 80 percent of all District customers are already within their water budget.

Your bill is due and payable upon presentation and becomes delinquent 21 days after date of invoice. After 21 days, a 48-hour Notice will be issued. The notice advises you that if the delinquent bill is not paid within 48 hours, water service may be terminated without further notice, in accordance with applicable rules and regulations of the District. Upon termination for nonpayment, water service will be restored only after full payment is made of all outstanding water charges and reconnection fees.

No. This concept is called “water budget banking.” The use of banking dilutes the water conservation advantages of the rate structure. For example, if a wet period leads to water savings, it would not help if customers were encouraged to spend those extra savings later in the year through a water budget banking program.

The service charge is based upon the size of the water meter that covers fixed costs associated with providing water to the serviced property. It includes routine maintenance of the water distribution system and is not based on water consumption.

Yes. Considerations will be made for circumstances such as large families, irrigated area, home daycare facilities, etc. A Variance Request Form must be completed to receive an adjustment. Forms are available on our web site or for pick up at our office.

Turn off and leave off all water taps inside and outside your home. Record the meter reading and return in two to three hours to check for movement. If the meter reading has changed, you may have a leak. Many meters have a small red triangle on the meter face that is designed to detect even small leaks. If this red triangle is moving when you have all water off inside and outside your home, you may have a leak. If you suspect you have a leak, we encourage you to call the District’s customer service line and a field representative can be dispatched to your location for further assistance.

Multi-family, mixed use, and commercial/industrial/institutional accounts can request a review of their historical water use if there has been a significant change in how water is used on the property. This could include a change in the type of business being conducted on the property, ie. retail store is now a bar.

748 gallons or 100 cubic feet are in one unit of water.

The Tier 2 rate recognizes that there are increased costs, primarily in the development of additional water resources and water use efficiency efforts related to higher levels of usage. Funds generated through Tier 2 cover 100 percent of the District’s water use efficiency efforts and a small portion of the cost of developing a supplemental water source.

Laguna Beach has embraced a lifestyle of using water efficiently every day, maintaining a 15 percent overall reduction in water use since the last drought. This effort means that residents won’t be hit with mandatory reductions this summer despite the state confronting a second consecutive dry year. While there is no immediate need to restrict water use, it is still critical for residents and businesses to make every drop count, which is why residents are being asked to voluntarily reduce water use by 15 percent. Reducing water use is the least costly method available to extend our water supply reliability, drought or not.

With California’s semi-arid climate, dry conditions are not unusual, and drought is always on the horizon. In addition to proactive planning and investments by water providers in water recycling, water use efficiency, and groundwater storage, Orange County has benefited tremendously from the wide-spread adoption of water-smart behaviors by residents and businesses. Over the last several decades, Orange County water users have enthusiastically adopted lifestyle changes and taken advantage of water-smart technology to save over 17 billion gallons of water each year. In fact, Southern California is using nearly 40 percent less water today than we were using three decades ago, even as population has increased by 785,000 people. As a result, there is no need for water restrictions in Orange County at this time.

Water Budgets for single-family residences are created using County Assessor parcel data and Geographic Information System data (GIS) obtained from the City. If one water meter is irrigating multiple parcels, you will need to complete a variance request form to add the additional parcels to your water budget.

Backflow assemblies are devices placed on potential cross-connections to prevent water from flowing back into the public water system. Different types of backflow prevention assemblies are required depending on the degree of hazard. Please call the Engineering Department if you have any questions regarding the type of device required for your particular situation.

Laguna Beach County Water District receives water from both the Colorado River, supplied by the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California and Northern California through the State Water Project.

While dry conditions are a normal pattern in Southern California, we can't predict with accuracy when drought begins or ends. The reality is that we live in a semi-arid area. Dry conditions are not unusual and drought is always on the horizon.

Historically, a typical California climate pattern is seven years: four dry years, two average years, and one wet year. Looking at previous droughts, a recurring trend is that droughts are lasting longer and becoming more severe. Laguna Beach residents should be prepared to face another long dry period.

Currently, all of Orange County is considered to be under Severe Drought Conditions. 

 To see the most up to date drought conditions, please visit, https://www.drought.gov/states/California

Your meter is usually located by the curb in front of your home and is housed in a concrete box usually marked "water." Please contact the District if you need on-site assistance or have any questions regarding your meter.

Most multi-family units, as well as all commercial and industrial properties are required to have a backflow prevention assembly. Also, any single-family residence that has a sewage lift pump, fire sprinkler system, or a direct connection to a pool or fountain.

No. The use of water for a pool is a choice made by the customer. Adjustments to fill a pool from empty will be granted every 5 years.

A one-time reversal can be given on a late charge.

Currently, 95 percent of the State is experiencing severe to exceptional drought conditions. Snowpack, which was measured from Northern California snow survey stations in April 2021 is 66 percent of normal. Southern California relies on this snowpack for a portion of its water supply. Southern California is in Severe to Extreme drought conditions.

To see the most up to date drought conditions, please visit, https://www.drought.gov/states/California. California's major reservoir conditions are updated daily.

Wherever a plumbing fixture is connected to the drinking water supply, a potential cross connection exists. Some examples are: Wash basins, sinks, dishwashers, garbage disposals, showers, bathtubs, toilets, and hose bibbs (faucet to which a hose may be attached or buried yard hydrants).

Yes. State law requires that a certified tester check all backflow assemblies at the time of installation and annually thereafter. The Engineering Department has a list of current certified testers in the Orange County area as well as lists of approved Backflow Prevention Assemblies for your information.

CodeRED offers a mobile app for Android and iPhones. District customers who download the app will receive CodeRED alerts for the geolocation of the phone. Alerts will include community, emergency and severe weather updates.

To download the CodeRED Mobile App visit: https://www.onsolve.com/platform-products/critical-communications/codered-public-alerting/mobile/mobile-app-download/

CodeRED Mobile Alert App Benefits

• Free download – Protects residents and visitors traveling across CodeRED communities
• Customized user experience – Subscribers choose the types of alerts they wish to receive
• Detailed notifications – Messages can include text and/or audio and feature a map with location of the warning area
• Simple interface – Ad-free, easy-to-use interactive map with color-coded icons, available on iOS and Android devices
• Customizable settings – Optional audible hands-free driving, establish personal warning radius, and view optional weather fee

Before you you can save water, you need to understand how you use water. Once you see where most of your water is used, you can see where the potential savings can be made. For the average home in Laguna Beach the easiest way to save water is to reduce the amount of irrigation you apply to your landscape. On average, over 60 percent of a households' water use is irrigation related. The good news is that as a District customer you don't have to guess how your water is used. All District customers have access to a free Smart Meter Dashboard through our Customer Connect Portal, that will show you how much water your property is using. If you need help with understanding the data or if you have general questions regarding potential ways to save water, contact the District's Water Use Efficiency department at 949-464-3116. 

View the video below to learn what the Smart Meter Dashboard can do for you.

You can make a payment with a check, money order, cash or the District's AutoPay program.

Rainfall occurs in real time and can not be included in a budget developed in advance. Your water budget is based on 20 years of historic weather patterns, including rainfall, and are established to provide for the basic needs of turf.

The District has a Water Use Efficiency (WUE) program designed to help you stay within your water budget. Visit www.lagunabeachwater.com for conservation tips and rebate information. Or contact the District’s WUE department at 949-342-1437 to sign up for a free Waterwise House Call.

If you do not test your backflow assembly on an annual basis, and when notified to do so by the District, you may be cited and fined for non-compliance. Also, your water service may be terminated to protect the public water system.

For more information about this program, please contact the District at 949-464-3117.

You can opt-out of notifications at the following link: https://info.onsolve.com/Notification-Opt-Out.html.

To opt out of text notifications, simply reply to the notification by typing "STOP."

The District has Permanent Mandatory Restrictions that are in effect at all times and if not adhered to represent waste and unreasonable use of water. These measures, listed below, are designed to optimize water-use efficiency even when there is no water supply shortage. All District customers are required to adhere to these restrictions throughout the year.

• Allowing excess irrigation water to flow onto adjacent property, non-irrigated areas, private and public walkways, roadways, parking lots or structures.
• Washing vehicles without using a bucket or hose with a shutoff nozzle.
• Hosing down sidewalks, walkways, driveways, or parking areas.
• Using irrigation systems during and 48 hours after measurable rainfall.
• Operating decorative water fountains or water features that do not recirculate water.
• Permitting leaks from any pipe or fixture to go unrepaired.
• Serving water in restaurants unless specifically requested.
• Not providing Hotel guests with the option to not launder linens.
• Using water from fire hydrants without Authorization.
• Using potable water on turf in public street medians.
• Using potable water in newly constructed homes and buildings that do not use drip or microspray.
• Using water wastefully without purpose.

A few of the most prominent rules are highlighted in the short video below.

Meetings are held on the 2nd and 4th Tuesday each month.