Billing and Customer Service FAQs

Water is delivered to customers on credit, in advance of payment. Therefore CVWD bills are due upon receipt and must be paid prior to the next billing date to avoid a disconnect notice.

To find out if CVWD has received your payment, call (805)-684-2816 during normal business hours Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

You can pay your water bill at our District Office or you can mail your payment to Carpinteria Valley Water District, P.O. Box 36, Carpinteria, CA 93014. For your convenience, the District Office also has a night deposit box for payments made before or after normal business hours.

CVWD’s office hours are 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday, except for holidays. In the event of an after-hours emergency, call (805) 684-2816 to reach our answering service for an on-call serviceman.

Yes, CVWD does accept credit card payments. For security reasons, credit card payments must be made in our office or online.

CVWD offers its customers automatic monthly withdrawals through its Direct Payment Program. The Direct Payment Program provides customers with a fast, convenient and secure way to pay their bills. Customers also save money because no stamp, envelope or paper check is needed.

1. The Direct Payment Program allows customers to receive a paper water bill and have their payment automatically deducted from their designated bank account. To enroll, customers may call Customer Service at (805) 684-2816 for a Direct Payment Program application or click on the above link. Customers simply fill out and mail back the application including their signature and a voided check. You will receive a confirmation letter with the date of your first scheduled Direct Payment.

2. The District offers Online Billing. First time users will need to set up a username and password for their account. The District is able to see a pending online payment within minutes of a customer making the payment. If your account is past due or scheduled for termination please contact the District billing office to ensure prompt credit to your account and avoid any interruption of service.

If payment is not received by the 28th of the month, a disconnect notice is sent to all delinquent customers. The disconnect notice provides customers with a penalty date, which in effect is an extension on past due bills. Accounts not paid by the delinquent date will be assessed a door tag fee and will receive a door tag.

If your water is shut off due to non payment, the past due and current balances must be paid, bringing the account to a zero balance. In addition, a reconnection fee will be charged. Reconnection after business hours is not provided. Please contact the District during business hours by phoning the District at (805) 684-2816 or coming by the office at 1301 Santa Ynez Avenue..

A request for reduction in a bill due to a leak or some other similar problem occurring on the customer side of the meter may, after Board of Directors review, and entirely and solely at their discretion, be favorably granted by the Board of Directors as follows:

1. A credit of 25% of the charge for the amount of water metered in excess of the normal average amount of water metered for the period in question as determined by the District may be applied to the customer’s account after a Water Savings Survey is completed by the District.

2. A three-month period of time may be allowed for payment of the total amount of the bill, less the 25% adjustment.
The Manager, at his discretion, may provide a credit of 25% to the customer’s account, if calculated to be less than $150, without forwarding the request for reduction to the Board of Directors, and after a Water Savings Survey is completed by the District.

In the event that a customer disputes or denies the accuracy of any bill the customer shall deposit with the District an amount as determined by the District based on the normal average amount of water metered for the period in question within 15 days of receipt of bill. The customer shall accompany said deposit with a written statement that said customer believes the bill to be in error or in excess of normal usage due to a leak or some other similar misfortune and briefly state the reasons for believing said bill is in error. Failure of a customer to give notice to the District of an error with his/her bill within 15 days of receipt of bill shall constitute a waiver of any error and the bill shall be deemed correct and final as presented.

Meters are read approximately every 30 days. Our billing is set on the 28th of each month, and we strive to read the meter within that time frame.

Yes, our Lifeline Customer Assistance Program provides reduced rates for customers of Southern California Edison’s CARE program. Simply bring in your Edison bill, which indicates that you are a CARE participant; making you eligible for CVWD’s Lifeline program. Although we don't have a specific assistance program for seniors, many of our senior customers participate in the Lifeline program.

The deposit fee is one method of establishing credit with the District. Other methods include the applicant providing sufficient evidence of creditworthiness established on another CVWD service account, as determined solely by the Manager or his designee or by receipt of a letter from another public water agency with the following information confirming the customer’s good credit account history for a current account with that agency - date account was open, statement that there have been no shut off or equivalent type notices in the last 5 years. A current account includes an account closed at the request of the customer within 60 days of the new service request. The District must receive a customer’s letter of credit prior to service start date.

CVWD’s rates are set to cover what it costs to serve its customer groups (single family residential, multi-family residential, industrial, irrigation and commercial groups). CVWD’s Board reviews the rates and rate structure annually and seeks public comment at Board meetings and a final public hearing before adopting rates effective July 1 of each year.

The Carpinteria Valley Water District’s can be reached at (805) 684-2816.

Questions and comments can be email to info@cvwd.net or mailed to:
Carpinteria Valley Water District
1301 Santa Ynez Ave
Carpinteria, CA 93013

The telephone number for the EPA’s Safe Drinking Water Hotline is (800) 426-4791.