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​Current water and wastewater rates in the San Tan District​​

For more information on the regulatory process, visit Arizona Corporation Commission.

​​Central Arizo​​​na Groundwater Replenishme​nt District

The Central Arizona Groundwater Replenishment District (CAGRD) is a division of the Central Arizona Project that helps water users in Maricopa, Pima and Pinal counties meet their water supply needs. As a Member Service Area of the CAGRD, the San Tan district pays the CAGRD an annual invoice and assesses a CAGRD adjuster fee to customers to defray this expense. This fee shows up as a regular, recurring line item in customers' monthly water bills. The fee assessed to customers is approved by the ACC through a proposal filed each October.

The fee is based on actual water use within the San Tan system along with the CAGRD's current rates and adjusts annually. Depending on where you live within the San Tan service territory, this adjustment may show up as a slight increase or decrease in the CAGRD line item on your water bill.

The CAGRD can be complicated to understand, but plays a critical role in assuring a guaranteed water supply for water users in Maricopa, Pima, and Pinal counties. For more information about how the CAGRD works, please visit the Central Arizona Project website.


​CAGRD adjustor fee FAQs​​

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What does the CAGRD have to do with my water? What is the CAGRD What is the CAGRD adjustor fee? Why are the fees different for the Phoenix AMA and Pinal AMA? I understand that CAGRD collects its replenishment assessments through property taxes that homeowners pay. Am I paying twice, both through my property taxes and my utility bill? What about the 2022 adjustor fee? How is EPCOR working to improve this?
What does the CAGRD have to do with my water?
​

Depending on where you live in Arizona, your water could be surface water from a river, groundwater from an underground aquifer, or a combination of both. Water for San Tan customers comes only from the aquifer, which must be replenished for future uses. ​

Under state law, water systems in central Arizona that rely on groundwater – like San Tan – can replenish that groundwater through the Central Arizona Groundwater Replenishment District (CAGRD). EPCOR's San Tan water district has been a CAGRD Member Service Area since 2000.​​​​

What is the CAGRD
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The Arizona Legislature established the Central Arizona Groundwater Replenishment District (CAGRD) in  1980 to help water users in Maricopa, Pinal and Pima counties meet their 100-year assured water supply requirements under state law. The CAGRD is operated by the Central Arizona Water Conservation District, which also oversees the Central Arizona Project (CAP). 

You can find more details about the CAGRD and its role in protecting water supplies in Central Arizona at www.cagrd.com.

What is the CAGRD adjustor fee?

​​The CAGRD exists to protect, preserve and replenish our water resources for Arizonans now and in the future. To accomplish this mission, CAGRD acquires water supplies and replenishes the aquifer. As a member of the CAGRD, EPCOR's San Tan water district pays the CAGRD an annual invoice and assesses a CAGRD adjuster fee to its customers to cover this expense.

The CAGRD adjuster fee is based on several factors including actual groundwater water use within the San Tan system, CAGRD's current rates and any under or over-collection from past years. The CAGRD fee adjusts annually and must be approved by the Arizona Corporation Commission. The rate our San Tan customers pay is based on individual water usage and which Active Management Area (AMA) customers live in. The money EPCOR collects is used to pay CAGRD – we don't keep any of it.

Why are the fees different for the Phoenix AMA and Pinal AMA?

​Depending on where they live, San Tan customers are in either the Phoenix AMA or Pinal AMA, and the fees vary by AMA. Your water bill specifies which AMA you live in.

The names can be a bit confusing: your AMA is not determined by your county or city, but by which water basin you live in. You can live in Pinal County and be part of either the Pinal AMA or the Phoenix AMA.

You can learn more about AMAs in Arizona here.​

I understand that CAGRD collects its replenishment assessments through property taxes that homeowners pay. Am I paying twice, both through my property taxes and my utility bill?
​No. As a San Tan customer, you only pay through your monthly water bill.  ​
What about the 2022 adjustor fee?
​

Several factors have impacted the 2022 CAGRD fee on your bill:

  • CAGRD fees previously were being offset with state exemptions that have now expired.
  • The CAGRD fee for San Tan customers in the Phoenix AMA was under-collected for the past decade under prior ownership.
  • The 2021 CAGRD fee approved by the Arizona Corporation Commission was lower than the actual cost invoiced by the CAGRD in that calendar year.​
How is EPCOR working to improve this?
​

Our top priority is providing clean, safe and reliable water service for our customers, now and in the future. And because CAGRD fees are based on groundwater used, we're doing several things now and over the next few years to help our customers and reduce the San Tan district's reliance on groundwater.​

First, we're increasing the amount of water that we can return to the natural water cycle and the underground aquifer. To do this, we're expanding and building new water reclamation facilities. Our expansion of the Pecan Water Reclamation Facility is one example, and will be complete at the end of this month. The more water that we can return to the aquifer, the lower the CAGRD fee. 

Second, we're working to identify additional water resources, which will further reduce the San Tan district's reliance on groundwater. We've requested that the CAGRD replenishment fee be changed to a Sustainable Water Supply mechanism that will provide flexibility to tap more water resources for you, and we have just this year secured and started receiving a new surface water allocation for the San Tan district. 

We've been the legal owner of your water system for just over a year and we continue to address lingering issues from the past. Being your water provider is a big responsibility – we take it very seriously and we're focused on improving every aspect of your service. 

You can read more about EPCOR's multi-faceted, long-term approach to water supply and conservation here. 

Other taxes and fees on your bill

Your bill from EPCOR provides you with detail on every tax or fee that may apply to your service. Here are a few examples – not all may apply to you. EPCOR does not keep any taxes collected.

Water Use Tax: Required by the state of Arizona on all water sales, it is charged at a rate of $0.0065 per thousand gallons. A customer who uses 10,000 gallons will see a charge of 7 cents on their bill.

State Tax: Also required by the state, this 5.6% tax is charged on all water service-related charges, including the basic service charge, how much water you use, and fees like CAGRD that we may collect.

Pinal County Tax: Required by Pinal County and previously called a “state tax" on your Johnson Utilities bill, the Pinal County tax is 1.6% of your “total water charges".

Town of Florence Tax: Charged only to customers within town limits, 2% of your “total water charges" are collected for the Town of Florence.

Town of Florence Franchise fee: Remitted to the Town of Florence, this fee allows EPCOR to work in easements and other facilities to keep your service safe and reliable. It i​s calculated as 5% of your water and wastewater charges, excluding CAGRD fees.

Town of Queen Creek Tax: Charged only to customers within town limits, 2.25% of your “total water charges" are collected for the Town of Queen Creek.

​Third Party Disclaimer​


EPCOR's website may provide listing of and/or links to third party websites as a convenient information service only. EPCOR accepts no responsibility or liability for the privacy practices, content, opinions, accuracy, and administration of such other websites, nor do we monitor or endorse these websites.

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