Paying your water bill is an essential task for all residents and businesses in San Juan Capistrano Recently, the city has transitioned responsibility for water and sewer utilities to new districts based on location. This means there are new procedures for paying your water bill depending on where you live in San Juan Capistrano In this article, I’ll walk through everything you need to know about paying your water bill in San Juan Capistrano.
Who is Responsible for My Water Bill?
As of November 15, 2021, the city has transferred water and sewer utilities to new districts based on location:
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Customers located in San Juan Capistrano city limits now pay their water/sewer bills to the Santa Margarita Water District (SMWD).
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Customers located in Dana Point now pay their water/sewer bills to the South Coast Water District (SCWD)
This means if you live in San Juan Capistrano SMWD handles your water and sewer services. If you live in Dana Point SCWD is now responsible.
How Do I Pay My Bill to SMWD?
If you live in San Juan Capistrano, here are the ways to pay your water/sewer bill to SMWD:
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Mail your payment to:
Santa Margarita Water District
PO Box 7005
Mission Viejo, CA 92690
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Pay online through SMWD’s customer portal. You can pay by e-check or credit card.
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Pay by phone 24/7 by calling SMWD at (949) 459-6420. Credit card payments only.
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Drop off a check or money order at SMWD’s payment drop boxes. There are two locations:
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SMWD Headquarters: 26111 Antonio Parkway, Rancho Santa Margarita, CA 92688
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San Juan Capistrano City Hall: 32400 Paseo Adelanto, San Juan Capistrano, CA 92675
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Pay in person at SMWD’s headquarters in Rancho Santa Margarita.
SMWD offers various payment plan options if you need help paying your bill over time. Contact them to discuss customized payment arrangements.
How Do I Pay My Bill to SCWD?
If you live in Dana Point, here is how to pay your water/sewer bill to SCWD:
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Mail your payment to:
South Coast Water District
31592 West Street
Laguna Beach, CA 92651
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Pay online through SCWD’s customer portal. You can pay by credit card or e-check.
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Pay by phone 24/7 by calling SCWD at (949) 499-4555.
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Drop off a check or money order at SCWD’s payment drop box located at their district office.
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Pay in person at the SCWD district office.
Like SMWD, SCWD also offers payment plans if you need help paying your bill over an extended timeframe. Contact them to discuss options.
What About Other City Utility Bills?
While water and sewer bills are now handled by SMWD or SCWD depending on your address, you still pay other city utility bills directly to San Juan Capistrano:
- Business licenses
- Filming permits
- Residential parking permits
- Employee parking permits
To pay these other utility bills, you can:
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Mail your payment to:
City of San Juan Capistrano
32400 Paseo Adelanto
San Juan Capistrano, CA 92675
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Drop your payment in the drop box in front of City Hall
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Pay online or by phone by calling (949) 493-1515
The city accepts credit cards, checks, and money orders for these payments.
Tips for Staying on Top of Your Water Bill
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Sign up for paperless billing and automated payments to ensure your bill is paid on time each month. This prevents late fees.
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Review the bill carefully each month to check for abnormalities that could indicate leaks or other issues.
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Contact SMWD or SCWD immediately if you see any unusual spikes in usage or billing.
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Take advantage of budget billing plans to spread costs evenly throughout the year.
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Be aware of your water usage and look for ways to conserve, especially during drought conditions.
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If you have trouble paying, reach out right away to arrange an alternate payment schedule.
We’re Here to Help
Paying your water bill is an essential responsibility. Now that San Juan Capistrano has transferred water utilities to SMWD and SCWD, new payment procedures are in place depending on where you live. If you have any questions about paying your water bill, don’t hesitate to contact us. We’re happy to provide guidance to make sure your payments are processed smoothly and on time every month.
Potable Water Commodity Rates (Cost per CCF)
Single & Multi-Family Customers
| Tier Level | Adopted Rates August 3, 2023 | Adopted Rate July 1, 2024 |
|---|---|---|
| Tier 1 | $3.42 | $3.51 |
| Tier 2 | $3.43 | $3.52 |
| Tier 3 | $3.71 | $3.80 |
| Tier 4 | $4.76 | $4.87 |
Wastewater Fixed Base Charge (Cost per Meter Size)
| Customer Type | Adopted Rates August 3, 2023 | Adopted Rates July 1, 2024 |
|---|---|---|
| Single-Family | $23.41 | $26.11 |
| Multi-Family Single Meter | $21.06 | $23.42 |
| Multi-Family Common Meter, per Account | $10.15 | $10.94 |
| Multi-Family Common Meter, per Dwelling Unit | $10.91 | $12.48 |
| Multi-Family Common Meter (Mobile Homes) | $10.91 | $12.48 |
The Santa Margarita Water District is a public agency that provides water, recycled water, and wastewater services. The Districts rates are based on the actual costs to provide these services to our customers and were developed based on cost allocation principles and requirements in accordance with California Proposition 218 requirements.
San Juan Capistrano ratepayers have not seen a rate increase since 2018. Due to the capital expenditure required, the District conducted a cost-of-service study to analyze the most efficient and effective way to provide water and sewer service to SJC residents while protecting both the environment and our ratepayers’ pocketbook.
Water and wastewater rates may increase as much as $30 per month depending upon your type of service. These investments are long overdue. While San Juan Capistrano ratepayers have not seen a change in their rates in five years, neighboring communities have experienced an increase of 24% over that same amount of time to pay for the maintenance and rehabilitation of their water and sewer pipes and pumps.
San Juan Capistrano deserves the same water and sewer service and reliability as other South County communities, and were pleased to work together to improve local and sustainable water solutions now and in the future.
The Adopted Rates provides the complete list of rates for San Juan Capistrano. The bill calculator provides a convenient way to estimate your bill based on the adopted rates. The adopted rates will go into effect on August 3, 2023, and be seen on bills in September 2023.
Pay Water and Sewer bills online
Where can I pay my water bill in San Juan Capistrano?
The South Coast Water District has several options for bill payment. The City’s water and sewer utilities have now transferred to Santa Margarita Water District (SMWD) for customers located in San Juan Capistrano and South Coast Water District (SCWD) for customers located in Dana Point.
Will San Juan Capistrano transfer water utilities to Santa Margarita Water District?
The city of San Juan Capistrano will begin negotiating the transfer of its water utilities with Santa Margarita Water District. Read on In just 24 hours, the service area received 4.25″ of rain Read on
Will San Juan Capistrano change its water rate structure in 2023?
On August 2, 2023, the Santa Margarita Water District Board of Directors voted unanimously to approve changes to the drinking water, recycled water, and wastewater rate structure for customers in San Juan Capistrano.
When do San Juan Capistrano water & sewer rates go into effect?
The Adopted Rates provides the complete list of rates for San Juan Capistrano. The bill calculator provides a convenient way to estimate your bill based on the adopted rates. The adopted rates will go into effect on August 3, 2023, and be seen on bills in September 2023. Why are Water & Sewer Costs Going Up?