New development requires the expansion of existing facilities or the construction of additional facilities. In addition to the general types of funding mechanisms available for all types of facilities, there are a number of different kinds of fees that can be used for the financing of water transmission facilities. These include capacity charges, water consumption charges, stand-by or water availability charges, and fixed meter charges. Legislation authorizing the establishment of the different types of water districts gives Yuima the authority to impose charges and rates for services and facilities. The County has no control over the funding of facilities owned by Yuima.
Yuima collects a capacity charge fee when a new meter is installed based on the size of the meter (in Yuima’s general district only - no capacity charge is currently charged past master meters). Improvement District "A" collects its capacity charge as a Special Connection charge based on planted acres. Consumption charges or water rates are established periodically by the Board to cover operation and maintenance costs of the District. Stand-by or water availability charges were collected only in the Improvement District "A" until legislation allowed it to be collected District-wide. The first District-wide water availability charge was levied for the fiscal year 1989/90 to help fund a portion of the capital improvement program for additional storage and increased capacity from which all lands within the District would benefit at least to the extent of the charge. The District collects approximately $94,500 annually, which the board has allocated to capital expenditures and debt repayment. A method of deferring the charge was adopted for property owners who do not have connections to the District and do not intend to make application for water service in the future.
