The annual budget process is an effort to strike the appropriate balance between ensuring that rates remain affordable for SAWS customers and ensuring the ongoing operational and financial integrity of the organization.
2023 Budget
Download the full 249-page budget document in Adobe PDF format.
Budget Report ArchiveView or download previous years' budget reports.
2023 Budget
The 2023 Operating Budget and Capital Improvement Program will allow the utility to continue providing high quality water, wastewater, recycled water and chilled water services at reasonable costs, while also maintaining a healthy financial position.
The 2023 budget is consistent with the Board’s Strategic Plan and achieves the following key objectives:
- Implementation of the 2022 Rate Advisory Committee’s recommendations developed in connection with
the 2022 Comprehensive Rate Study. These recommendations will:- Ensure that each of SAWS’s customer classes will pay for the costs attributed to them as
determined in the cost of service analysis. - Create a separate residential rate structure with reduced rates to replace the existing affordability
discount program for low‐income customers. The cost of the Uplift Assistance Program will be
recovered from residential, general and irrigation class customers who are not enrolled in the
program through a volumetric pass‐through fee, which will be evaluated and adjusted annually,
as needed. - Begin to close the cost recovery gap for recycled water customers with a five‐year rate plan, which
will include a 15% increase in 2023 and up to 10% increase per year from 2024 to 2027.
- Ensure that each of SAWS’s customer classes will pay for the costs attributed to them as
- The provision of expedited compensation adjustments in September 2022 to enhance retention and
recruitment of employees to ensure service provision continuity in a tight labor market. - Continued roll‐out of the ConnectH2O Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) project.
- Maintenance of infrastructure to ensure reliability of service and compliance with regulatory requirements.
- Continue implementation of technological advancements to increase productivity, enhance customer
interactions and safeguard SAWS’ assets. - Balance the need for strong financial metrics and the maintenance of credit ratings with the affordability
of our services. - Continue to take steps to improve the financial condition of the chilled water core business through the
implementation of a five‐year rate plan, which will include a 12% increase in the demand charge for chilled
water customers in 2023 with subsequent increases totaling approximately 38% during the period 2024‐
2027.