Allocation Program

An allocation is essentially a water budget that represents efficient water use for your specific account based on your indoor and outdoor water use characteristics.  Carpinteria Valley Water District (CVWD) will use the term “allocation” instead of “water budget” but the two are interchangeable in this context. Each customer within CVWD has a unique allocation. If you are using water efficiently, your monthly water use should not exceed your allocation.

The purpose of this program is not to penalize or cut people off because they exceed their allocation. Allocations represent efficient use of water at a particular meter. Therefore, if there is one month where your water use exceeds your allocation there is no cause for alarm. However, if your water use regularly exceeds your allocation, you should contact CVWD to discuss your options. Improving your water use efficiency may resolve the exceedance, or CVWD may need to adjust your allocation.

Contact CVWD if you think your allocation is incorrect. CVWD will work with you to review your individual allocation. Based on this review, CVWD may adjust your allocation.

If you submit a request for development or redevelopment, CVWD may recalculate your allocation. If you believe your allocation is incorrect, you should contact CVWD. After September of 2023, CVWD will hold meetings to develop allocation program policies. These policies will consider other triggers for modifying allocations.

CVWD is not currently proposing any rate changes, fees, or penalties as a result of allocations. At some point in the future CVWD may consider these options. Currently, CVWD is focusing on the methods for calculating allocations.

Your allocation represents your indoor and outdoor water use characteristics. A parcel completely covered in hardscape will have a different outdoor allocation from a parcel with a large lawn. The idea is that your allocation should represent your parcel’s water needs. It is important for CVWD to understand the true water needs of its service area.

If you would like to propose ideas to make allocations more equitable, or if you would like to give feedback on CVWD’s approach to determining allocations, please attend the upcoming methodology meeting this May. Participating in the methods meeting is the best way to shape allocations.

CVWD has not yet developed its methodology for determining allocations nor has it developed the policies for how to manage those allocations. You can help shape these decisions by attending the upcoming methodology meeting this May.

CVWD will never share allocation information across accounts. CVWD will treat your allocation information like all other account information. Only the people authorized to access your account will have information about your allocation.

There are many existing tools, websites, and programs that make detailed aerial imagery publicly available. Google Earth is one example. Further, the State of California has already analyzed aerial imagery data for the entire state and provided the parcel-level results to each water District. Therefore, CVWD’s allocation program is building on existing information, not developing something completely new.

The State of California initiated “ Making Water Conservation a California Way of Life” in 2018. This legal and resource Management framework aims to improve efficiency of water use in California. We all will need to do our part to realize this vision for California. Allocations are essentially a tool for water management. As a planning tool, allocations enable agencies to understand how much water is available, to plan and budget for future supply and demand, and to target conservation efforts. Allocations can improve the efficiency and consistency of CVWD’S operations which saves everyone money. Allocations provide water users with a “reasonable” expected use baseline to support making water conservation a California way of life.

Below are the allocation program documents.

Allocation calculation methods summary

Model documentation for allocation program