Questions and Answers

General FAQs

What is the difference between Wholesale and Retail?
The District sells large amounts of water to other retail agencies for delivery to their own customers. San Juan keeps a separate accounting of all revenue and expenses for each division so that our Retail customers only pay for the cost to provide service to our Retail service area. Our Wholesale division sells water to the following agencies:

Customer Service and Billing FAQs

How do I recognize San Juan field staff?

Rebate and Program FAQs

Do you offer any rebate programs?
We are excited to offer our customers a variety of rebates for irrigation improvements and high-efficiency washing machines and toilets. Visit our rebates page for more information.

Water Rates FAQs

How are the rates calculated?
The water rates include a daily fixed charge and a water usage charge. The daily fixed charge is based on the size of each customer’s water meter and is intended to recover a proportionate share of the fixed costs associated with operating and maintaining the system. The usage charge is based on a uniform water usage rate multiplied by each customer’s water usage…

Water Quality FAQs

Where does my water come from?
Your water flows straight from the pristine American River watershed to Folsom Lake.

Water Efficiency FAQs

Should I use more water now so I can meet the state mandate to reduce my water use by 20% by the year 2020?
Increasing your water usage now will not help the District meet the state mandate to reduce water use by 20% by 2020. The baseline water use has already been determined using a baseline prior to 2009. State law requires the District to meet a 10% interim reduction requirement in 2015 and a…

Water Supply FAQs

Does San Juan Water District have adequate water supplies even in drought conditions?
San Juan Water District Wholesale has the oldest water rights on the north fork of the American River, dating back to 1853. These are called senior water rights under California water rights law. San Juan's water is the last to be diverted, or used; water agencies with junior water rights are required to have…

Folsom Reservoir Water Releases FAQ

How are Folsom Reservoir water levels determined? What agency determines them?
The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation operates Folsom Reservoir and water releases are coordinated with other large reservoirs in California.

District Revenue and Expense FAQs

Where does San Juan’s revenue come from and how is it spent?
The San Juan Water District receives revenues from several sources, but the largest source is from rate revenues, as illustrated in this pie chart:

District Staffing and Compensation FAQs

What is the difference between what San Juan Retail and Wholesale staff members perform in their duties?
San Juan employees’ salaries are paid by either the Wholesale or the Retail or a combination of both, depending on the position. This organization chart illustrates how much of each District position is paid for by retail revenues and how much by wholesale revenues:

Board Member Compensation FAQs

What is board member compensation and how does it compare to other agencies?
Board members are elected by a vote of the people. They are compensated with a flat per-meeting stipend set according to state law for the time they spend on San Juan business. This is common practice for special districts throughout the State of California.

Construction FAQs

If you have questions related to engineering or construction, learn more in our Construction FAQ section.