The following rates, charges and conditions shall apply to and govern any discharge made to Western Water facilities, the Brine Line, WWRF and the Murrieta collection system, for the discharge of nonreclaimable wastewater, collection station discharges and the temporary discharge of domestic wastewater into the Brine Line from all dischargers (direct connects to the Brine Line, truck waste delivered to the collection station, and dischargers who own capacity rights but truck deliver to the collection station), and WWRF industrial discharges, and FOG/SOGI control for the WWRF and the Murrieta collection systems.
(Res. 3348, 2025)
Effective July 1, 2025, the treatment and volumetric charges paid to Western Water for treatment and disposal of nonreclaimable and temporary domestic wastewater dischargers directly connected to the Brine Line shall be as follows:
Fiscal Year 2025-2026
Program
Flow/MG
(1)
BOD/1,000 lbs.
(2)
TSS/1,000 lbs.
(3)
Fixed Pipe/MGD
(4)
Fixed Treatment/MGD
(5)
Government Agency Without Source Control Oversight
$1,244
$416
$522
$7,935
$16,106
Western Water Source Control Program
$1,322
$416
$522
$9,468
$19,204
Notes:
1. This component shall be calculated and assessed per million gallons (MG) of discharge (flow) to the Brine Line each month. (Minimum charge per month is $150.00.)
2. This component shall be calculated and assessed per pound (i.e., $0.416/lb.) of dry weight of BOD, calculated from the average of sample results each month.
3. This component shall be calculated and assessed per pound (i.e., $0.522/lb.) of dry weight of TSS, calculated from the average of sample results each month.
4. This component for fixed pipeline cost (also known as readiness to serve) shall be assessed per MGD of owned pipeline/connection capacity per month.
5. This component for fixed treatment costs shall be assessed per MGD of owned treatment and disposal capacity per month.
(Res. 3348 § A, 2025)
Total charges for flow, BOD and TSS (see subsection B of this section) for each discharger may be adjusted if any individual component of flow, BOD, and TSS at Meter S-01 (see subsection A of this section) is higher than the aggregate of all the individual discharger components.
A. 
Meter S-01 is the meter Orange County Sanitation District uses to invoice SAWPA for all Brine Line measurements of flow, BOD and TSS.
B. 
Billings will include a pro rata adjustment for flow, TSS and BOD billed at applicable rates contained herein.
(Res. 3348 § B, 2025)
A. 
Quality Surcharges. In addition to the payments required under WMWDC § 7.20.020 and § 7.20.030, each user holding a discharge right shall pay Western Water the following quality-related surcharges:
1. 
Actual strength (BOD and TSS) at rates equal to the payments required under WMWDC § 7.20.020 and § 7.20.030 for all strength loadings above owned/leased capacity rights as defined in each discharger's capacity contract, calculated from averaging the sampling results taken for the month.
2. 
In addition to charges in subsection (A)(1) of this section, each discharger exceeding its capacity right for BOD and/or TSS shall pay Western Water a treatment and disposal capacity excess strength charge calculated by subtracting owned/leased treatment and disposal capacity rights as defined in each discharger's capacity contract or if undefined by the contract, 190 mg/l BOD and 174 mg/l TSS, from the average of the sampling for the month for that discharger (adjusted using WMWDC § 7.20.030), multiplied by the following rates:
BOD = $0.4284/lb.
TSS = $0.2626/lb.
B. 
Quantity Surcharges. In addition to the payments required under WMWDC § 7.20.020 and § 7.20.030, each user holding a discharge right shall pay Western Water the following quantity-related surcharges:
1. 
Actual flow at rates equal to the payments required under WMWDC § 7.20.020 and § 7.20.030 for all flow above owned/leased capacity rights as defined in each discharger's capacity contract calculated by subtracting owned/leased capacity rights multiplied by the number of days between meter readings during the month from the actual metered quantity discharged during the month.
2. 
In addition to charges of subsection (B)(1) of this section, each discharger exceeding its capacity right for flow shall pay Western Water a pipeline capacity excess flow charge calculated by subtracting owned/leased pipeline capacity rights multiplied by the number of days between meter readings during the month from the actual metered quantity discharged during the month; and multiplying that number of gallons by $0.1920 ($0.1398 for treatment capacity overage and $0.0522 for pipeline capacity overage).
(Res. 3348 § C, 2025)
A sampling fee shall be assessed on all samples to each discharger. The need for sampling is determined by SAWPA and/or Western Water and billed periodically. For example, high BOD/TSS or high variability dischargers will be sampled quarterly or more frequently as required (referred to as ad hoc sampling below), and low BOD/TSS or low variability dischargers will be sampled semi-annually, annually, or as required to obtain reliable data or as otherwise determined by Western Water. The following sampling fees are based on the frequency of sampling:
Direct Connect Customers Sampling Fees:
Frequency
Ad Hoc
$905
Quarterly
$905
Semi-Annual
$1,079
Annual
$1,574
Collection Station Customers Sampling Fees:
Frequency
Ad Hoc
$621
Quarterly
$621
Semi-Annual
$653
Annual
$810
Due to the variability in the number of constituents required in the laboratory analysis for each discharger, actual laboratory analysis costs will be billed to each discharger as samples are taken and are not included in the sampling fees above. In addition, SAWPA, at its discretion, may perform sampling to fulfill its compliance requirements. The actual sampling fee charged to Western Water by SAWPA will be passed through to the appropriate discharger.
(Res. 3348 § D, 2025)
Prior to commencement of discharge of wastewater into the Brine Line, each discharger must file for and receive a discharge permit from Western Water. Renewal of a discharge permit shall not exceed five years, or as required by SAWPA. The following annual permit fee will be billed to customers according to the following types of users:
Direct Connect Customers
Categorical User
$7,952
Significant Industrial User
$6,286
Industrial User
$5,279
Nonsignificant Industrial User
$4,763
Collection Station Customers
Categorical User
$4,252
Significant Industrial User
$4,252
Industrial User
$3,860
Nonsignificant Industrial User
$3,698
(Res. 3348 § E, 2025)
A. 
Waste Strength
Using the Higher of the BOD and TSS Concentration
Cost per Gallon
Brine
Less than 100 mg/l
$0.033
Non-Brine
100 mg/l and higher
(a)
Notes:
(a) Discharges with concentrations of either BOD or TSS over 100 mg/l will be charged based on the actual concentration of the waste discharged using the following cost components:
i. $0.033 per gallon;
ii. $0.8187 per pound of BOD; and
iii. $0.7819 per pound of TSS.
B. 
Discharges from outside the watershed also shall require specific approval from Western Water and SAWPA. Truck-delivered nonreclaimable wastewater discharges from outside the Santa Ana River Watershed to a SAWPA-authorized collection station shall be charged a surcharge of 10 percent on waste discharged to the Brine Line. This surcharge will be added to the rates indicated in subsection A of this section and represents the administrative costs associated with serving these customers.
(Res. 3348 § F, 2025)
An emergency rate shall be charged for standby discharges/emergency overflow connections. The emergency rate shall be comprised of 110 percent of the surcharges in WMWDC § 7.20.040, plus 110 percent of the flow, BOD and TSS charges in WMWDC § 7.20.020 after the adjustment of WMWDC § 7.20.030. In addition to the excess capacity charges of WMWDC § 7.20.040, emergency rates may be assessed for discharges in excess of the owned capacity, as solely determined by Western Water's general manager.
(Res. 3348 § G, 2025)
The provisions of SAWPA Ordinance No. 9 and Western's Ordinance No. 389, and any amendments or successors thereto, are hereby incorporated by this reference, as though set forth herein in full.
(Res. 3348 § H, 2025)
Prior to commencement of discharge of wastewater into the Brine Line, each such user shall deposit with Western Water an amount determined solely by Western Water's general manager to be sufficient to cover each user's operation, maintenance and replacement costs for a 90-day period. The general manager shall have the right to require such deposit to be increased as monthly operation, maintenance and replacement charges may be raised by resolution of Western Water. He may also require an increase in the deposit sufficient in his judgment to protect Western Water against loss if the discharger fails to pay on time, or if the general manager has reason to question the financial stability of the discharger. If Western Water notifies a user that the amount of its deposit must be increased, the user shall deposit the additional amount required within 10 working days thereafter. If the general manager should determine on the basis of revised estimates of use that a user's deposit should be decreased, Western Water shall promptly refund the appropriate portion of the deposit without interest. If any user, generator or trucking company fails to pay any sum required under this chapter within 30 days of the end of the billing cycle, Western Water, at its sole discretion, shall have the right to suspend the permit and physically prevent further discharges to Western Water's facilities and the Brine Line and draw upon the deposit of such user. In that event, and subject to the default and notice provisions of the agreement establishing the user's discharge right, the user shall have no further right to discharge to either Western Water or into the Brine Line until its deposit has been reestablished in compliance with this chapter as determined by Western Water's general manager. Upon termination of any discharge right, not based upon default by the user, Western Water shall refund its deposit without interest.
(Res. 3348 § I, 2025)
In some situations, including but not limited to emergency discharges, overflows and sludge loadings, actual charges imposed by SAWPA may exceed standard charges described above. Therefore, for nonstandard discharges as determined by Western Water's general manager, actual OCSD/SAWPA charges and Western Water's costs for flow, BOD and TSS shall be passed through to dischargers after a 60-day notice.
(Res. 3348 § J, 2025)
Prior to commencement of discharge of wastewater to WWRF, each industrial discharger must file for and receive a discharge permit from Western Water. Renewal of a discharge permit shall not exceed five years. The following annual permit fee will be billed to customers according to the following types of users:
Industrial Dischargers to WWRF:
Categorical/Significant Industrial User
$9,849
Industrial User
$3,223
Nonsignificant Industrial User
$1,009
(Res. 3348 § K, 2025)
As part of the permitting process, a sample(s) is taken at the discharger's site. The frequency of sampling specified in each discharger's permit determines the required constituents tested per sample. Due to the variability of required constituents per discharger, the cost of laboratory analysis is billed as samples are taken. As such, laboratory analysis costs are not included in permit fees, but rather will be billed to customers based on invoices from the laboratory.
(Res. 3348 § L, 2025)
All dischargers of FOG/SOGI to the collection systems of WWRF and Murrieta are subject to periodic inspections of their oil and grease interceptors. The following fee will be billed to customers according to their service area for inspection:
FOG/SOGI Discharger
WWRF Service Area
$368
Murrieta Service Area
$385
(Res. 3348 § M, 2025)
Western Water may secure delinquent charges by any method available to Western Water. In the event that legal action is brought to collect unpaid charges, Western Water shall be entitled to the payment of all costs, including attorney's fees. Defendant shall pay all cost of suits rendered in favor of Western Water.
(Res. 3348 § N, 2025)