Sanitation Engineering - Water and Wastewater Operations

24 hour a day dispatch 831-477-3907 - Santa Cruz County Holiday Schedule, Furlough Schedule

Aptos Transmission Line Bid Results - SubContractors

• Aptos Transmission Main Sewer Replacement Project Information
• August 11 2010 Public Information Meeting Presentation

Santa Cruz County Sanitation District Code

Design Criteria

Sewer Service Availability Questionnaire

AVOID SEWAGE SPILLS AND UNNECESSARY DAMAGE!

Pursuant to District Code Section 7.04.100, it is the property owner's responsibility to install & maintain an overflow or backflow protective device on your sewer lateral when any building's lowest floor elevation is less than one foot above the rim elevation of the nearest upstream manhole.  For further information please contact Calvin Smith at (831) 454-2160.

Sewer System Management Plan

Santa Cruz County has developed and is implementing a Sewer System Managment Plan (SSMP) pursuant to State Water Resources Control Board Order 2006-003,  Statewide General Discharge Requirements of Sanitary Sewer Systems.  The goal of the SSMP is to minimize the frequency and severity of sanitary sewer overflows (SSO's).  The SSMP covers the management, planning, design, and operation and maintenance of the County's sanitary sewer systems.  Interested parties can contact the sanitation operations manager, John Swenson at 831-477-3907 for additional information.

Santa Cruz County Sanitation District is a non-profit public agency which provides sewage collection, treatment and disposal services to the Live Oak, Capitola, Soquel, and Aptos areas.  The District's customers generate approximately 5-6 million gallons of sewage a day, which is transported from our Lode Street facility to the wastewater treatment plant at Neary Lagoon, owned and operated by the City of Santa Cruz.  This plant treats a total of approximately 12 million gallons of wastewater per day to a quality level that meets stringent Environmental Protection Agency and State standards for discharge into Monterey Bay.

The County reports SSOs electronically to the California Integrated Water Quality System (CIWQS).  Interested parties can obtain more information at the CIWQS website.

Revenues to operate the District are collected yearly from residents and businesses that are connected to the sanitary sewer system.

• Santa Cruz County Sanitation District Meeting Information

Sewer Service Charges - Process

See Feebook for Current Connection Fees

Flat rate charged for residential services

Residential customers are charged a flat rate per dwelling unit.  There are separate rates for Single Family Dwelling (SFD), townhouse or condo, for multiple housing units such as a duplex, apartment complex, and low-water-use SFD, and for mobile home parks.

Low water user rate reduction program for Single Family Dwellings (SFD's)

Each year single family dwellings that send in copies of their two rainy season water bills showing that their overall total water consumption is 20 ccf (units) or less for that four month period (approximately November through March) will be charged the lower multiple family dwelling rate rather than the higher single family dwelling rate for the following tax year.  Since individual water use can vary greatly from year to year, customers who have previously qualified for this rate-reduction program must re-apply every year.  The annual application deadline is June 15.

Water use determines commercial charges

Charges for commercial customers are based on the volume and pollutant strength of the wastewater being treated.  In 1991/92 our rate structure was revised as part of a District-wide revenue study designed to bring us up to current State and Federal standards.  At that time we converted to a two-part rate which includes a flat annual charge per business space or suite, whether vacant or occupied, plus a composite volume rate which is based on each tenant's user category and the total annual water use.

The volume of wastewater is determined from records of water usage as metered by the Santa Cruz City Water Department (their jurisdiction within the Santa Cruz County Sanitation District covers the Live Oak area from Lake Avenue on the east side of the Yacht Harbor to 41st Avenue) and Soquel Creek Water District (from 41st Avenue to San Andreas Road).  Due to the lead time involved in getting the yearly charges placed on the County property tax statements, the sewer service charges on the current year's tax statement reflect services already provided.  The current fiscal year's charges are based on water use and strength factors from the previous calendar year.

Water use for the purpose of calculating the service charge is measured from January through December of the previous year (for example: for tax year 2010/100 the water use will be from January through December 2009).  The sewer service charge for this period is placed on the property tax bill that is mailed out in October, with the first installment due by December 10th and the second due by April 10th.

Renting and Leasing

Due to the lag in billing, commercial customers who rent or lease their property should carefully consider how sewer service charges are addressed in the lease or rental agreement.  Changes in tenants with different demands for water or that have different wastewater strength will affect the yearly service charge.  A landlord may not become aware of potential changes in service charges until well after tenant changes have occurred.  All sewer service charges are billed to the property owner.  Property owners are responsible for paying the charges whether or not they are able to collect from their tenants.

How wastewater strength affects charges

Sewer service charges for commercial customers are based on volume, Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) and Suspended Solids (SS).  Both BOD and SS generated by restaurants, bakeries, butchers, mortuaries and food processors, cost the District more to treat than wastewater with lower strengths, such as that generated by shoe stores, laundromats, office complexes, medical offices, etc.

Wastewater Strengths:

User Group	BOD Strength (mg / liter)	SS Strength (mg / liter)
Single Family Dwelling (SFD)	200	180
Multiple Family Dwelling	200	180
Bakery/Donut Shop	1,070	250
Restaurants/Catering	1,070	250
Food Processing	800	800
Funeral Parlors/Mortuaries	800	800
Other Business (incl wineries)	150	150
Schools	130	100
State Parks	130	100
Dominican Hospital	200	200
Chaminade Conf Center	500	600

Commercial Categories:

Bakeries/Donut Shops
Restaurants/Ice Cream
Food Processors
Butchers                               See Feebook for Current Connection Fees
Mortuaries
Other Businesses
State Parks
Dominican Hospital

Example
The following would be a typical 2010/2011 restaurant service charge calculation, if we assume that the restaurant has used 560 HCF of water in calendar year 2009:

(560 HCF x $8.30) + $212.76 = $4,860.76            

How sewer service rates are established

Santa Cruz County Sanitation District is governed by a three-member Board of Directors.   Two of the District Board members are members of the County Board of Supervisors within whose jurisdiction the District boundaries lie.  The third Board member is from the Capitola City Council since Capitola sanitation is handled by the Sanitation District.  Using information supplied by District staff, the rates are reviewed each year by an independent engineering firm which specializes in revenue studies for utility districts and are subject to final approval by the Board.  Before the rates are set, a notice of public hearing is mailed to all owners of property within the Sanitation District boundaries, another notice is published in the Santa Cruz Sentinel, and the public hearing is held.  The public hearing is normally scheduled in April or May of each year, with the rates becoming effective on the first of July.  Customers are encouraged to participate in the public hearings and can send written comments to the attention of the District Engineer.

Service agreement between the sanitation district and the city of Santa Cruz

The District has no wastewater treatment plant of its own.  Instead, the District has treatment capacity rights of 8 million gallons per day in the Santa Cruz City wastewater treatment plant.  Under an agreement between the District and the City, we are required to pay 8/17 of project costs for treatment modifications.  Operation and maintenance costs at the City plant are split in proportion to the total flow, BOD and SS actually discharged by each agency.  The treated wastewater is discharged to Monterey Bay through a new ocean outfall which is also used by the City of Scotts Valley.   Outfall costs, including ocean monitoring, are split in proportion to the total flow of the three agencies. 

Return to Top of Page

FREEDOM COUNTY SANITATION DISTRICT is a non-profit public agency providing sewage collection, treatment and disposal service to the Freedom area.  The District's customers generate approximately 1.35 million gallons of sewage a day, which is transported to the wastewater treatment plant on Beach Street, owned and operated by the City of Watsonville.  This plant has a capacity to treat a total of approximately 16.5 million gallons of wastewater per day to a quality level that meets stringent Environmental Protection Agency and State standards for discharge into Monterey Bay.

Revenues to operate the District are collected yearly from residents and businesses that are connected to the sanitary sewer system.

Freedom County Sanitation District Code

Sewer Service Availability Questionnaire

Freedom District Summary of Activities

DAVENPORT COUNTY SANITATION DISTRICT is a non-profit public agency providing treated drinking water and sewage collection, treatment and disposal services to the town of Davenport.  Revenues to operate the District are collected yearly from residents and businesses that are connected to either the waterworks or the sanitary sewer system.

Davenport County Sanitation District Code

Davenport additional information

COUNTY SERVICE AREA #2 (Place de Mer) has a community septage system which is maintained by the County Water and Wastewater Operations Division (831) 477-3907.  Revenues to operate this system are collected yearly from all residents whose homes are connected to the sanitary sewer system.

If your home is connected to the sewer system in Place de Mer, the annual sewer service charge is placed on your Santa Cruz County property tax bill as a special levy. The amount collected for CSA#2 varies by which zone your home is located in (Hill, Park, etc.), depending upon which services are provided in addition to sewage collection and treatment.

COUNTY SERVICE AREA #5 (Sand Dollar Beach & Canon del Sol) has its own sewage treatment facilities which are maintained by the County Water and Wastewater Operations Division (831) 477-3907.  Revenues to operate these two package treatment plants are collected yearly from all residents whose homes are connected to each of the adjoining sanitary sewer systems.

If your home is connected to the sewer system in either Sand Dollar Beach or Canon del Sol, the annual sewer service charge is placed on your Santa Cruz County property tax bill as a special levy.  The amount collected for the Sand Dollar zone of CSA#5 also includes funding for stairway maintenance.

Please call (831) 454-2790 with questions regarding the sewer portion of your bill, or (831) 454-2160 regarding the stairway maintenance charge.

Sand Dollar Beach and Canon del Sol additional information

COUNTY SERVICE AREA #7 (Boulder Creek Country Club) has its own sewage treatment facility which is maintained by the County Water and Wastewater Operations Division (831) 477-3907.  Revenues to operate this package treatment plant are collected yearly from all residents whose homes are connected to the sanitary sewer system.

If your home or business is connected to the sewer system in the Boulder Creek Country Club area, the annual sewer service charge is placed on your Santa Cruz County property tax bill as a special levy.

Please call (831) 454-2790 with questions regarding the sewer portion of your bill.

Boulder Creek Country Club additional information

COUNTY SERVICE AREA #10 (Rolling Woods) is connected to a gravity sewer main that delivers sewage to the Regional sewage treatment facility operated by the City of Santa Cruz. which is maintained by the County Water and Wastewater Operations Division (831) 477-3907.  Revenues to maintain the sewage collection system are collected yearly from all residents whose homes are connected to the sanitary sewer system. 

If your home or business is connected to the sewer system in Rolling Woods, the annual sewer service charge is placed on your Santa Cruz County property tax bill as a special levy.  In addition, the City of Santa Cruz bills for sewage treatment

Please call (831) 454-2790 with questions regarding the sewer portion of your bill.

Rolling Woods additional information

COUNTY SERVICE AREA #20 (Trestle Beach) has its own sewage treatment facility which is maintained by the County Water and Wastewater Operations Division (831) 477-3907.  Revenues to operate this package treatment plant are collected yearly from all residents whose homes are connected to the sanitary sewer system.

If your home or business is connected to the sewer system in Trestle Beach, the annual sewer service charge is placed on your Santa Cruz County property tax bill as a special levy.

Trestle Beach additional information

COUNTY SERVICE AREA #57S (Graham Hill / Woods Cove) is connected to a gravity sewer main that delivers sewage to the Regional sewage treatment facility operated by the City of Santa Cruz. which is maintained by the County Water and Wastewater Operations Division (831) 477-3907.  Revenues to maintain the sewage collection system are collected yearly from all residents whose homes are connected to the sanitary sewer system. 

If your home is connected to the sewer system in Graham Hill / Woods Cove, the annual sewer service charge is placed on your Santa Cruz County Property tax bill as a special levy.  In addition, the City of Santa Cruz Bills for sewage treatment. 

Please call (831) 454-2790 with questions regarding the sewer portion of your bill.

FOR CURRENT SEWER CONNECTION FEES PLEASE REFER TO THE FEE BOOK

Return to Top of Page

Return to Public Works Home Page