San Clemente water and sewer rates
Who supplies water to San Clemente houses, what it costs, and how the sewer charge works.
City of San Clemente
City of San Clemente water rates effective March 1, 2026, billed monthly: a water base fee of $33.10 a month for a meter up to 1 inch, plus a flat $5.31 per unit (one hundred cubic feet, or 748 gallons) of water used.
| Use a month | Price per unit (CCF, 748 gallons) |
|---|---|
| Fixed charge | $33.10 a month |
| 0 to more | $5.31 |
- Source
- A blend of surface water imported by the Metropolitan Water District (State Water Project and Colorado River) and local groundwater, plus water from Irvine Ranch Water District's Baker Water Treatment Plant; the City's groundwater treatment plant was offline in 2025 for a rehabilitation project.
- Hardness
- Total hardness averaged 236 ppm (14 grains per gallon) in Metropolitan's treated surface water and 293 ppm (17 grains per gallon) in water from the Baker Water Treatment Plant, tested in 2025.
- Lead
- In 2025, 30 homes were tested for lead and copper at the tap; lead was not detected in any of the 30 samples.
- Standards
- The City reports that the water delivered to homes meets or exceeds federal and state quality standards (2026 report on 2025).
Sewer
City of San Clemente sewer rates effective January 1, 2026, billed monthly with water: a fixed sewer charge of $30.56 a month for a meter up to 1 inch, plus $3.56 per unit for single-family homes, charged on 75% of the home's winter month average water use (February and March), which sets the sewer charge for the next twelve months.
Ways to pay less
- Water-saving rebates with a City supplement. For San Clemente single-family water customers from March 1, 2026, the City adds to the MWDOC/Metropolitan rebates: $150 in total for a premium high-efficiency toilet, $300 for a high-efficiency clothes washer, $160 per smart sprinkler timer and $3 per square foot of turf replacement. Rebates depend on available funding and are not guaranteed. How: Turf replacement and spray-to-drip: apply on the MWDOC rebate portal and get approval before you start. Other rebates: SoCal WaterSmart, 888-376-3314.
Dates
| When | What |
|---|---|
| 25 days after the bill date | City water and sewer bills unpaid 25 days after the billing date get a 10% penalty. |
Pay or manage it
Sources
- City of San Clemente: water and sewer rates
- City of San Clemente water rates effective March 1, 2026
- City of San Clemente sewer rates effective January 1, 2026
- City Council, Feb 17, 2026: water rate protest hearing and adoption
- City of San Clemente 2025 water rate study
- City of San Clemente 2026 water quality report
- City of San Clemente: water rebates
- Santa Margarita Water District: about your tax bill
- Metropolitan Water District: 2026/27 water standby charge resolution
Checked October 21, 2026. Every number here comes from the public sources listed, matched by our checker.
Rates change every year; this page shows when it was last checked. Nothing here is legal, tax or insurance advice.