Del Oro Water Company

Benbow District

To contact a Customer Service Representative,
Benbow District customers please dial 530-717-2521

Benbow District serves an unincorporated area of Humboldt County in Garberville, California.

2023 Meter Reading Schedule

June 9, 2021: Customers are asked to voluntarily conserve water due to this year's extremely dry conditions. Please read the NOTICE that was mailed with the June 9, 2021 bills.

The complete list of restrictions can also be found in Rule 14.1. Alternate watering days and water prohibitions are in effect for ALL Districts.

In Progress

No projects in progress at this time.

Improvements to Date

6/1/2018 - Project Complete

Sampling was completed and passed on May 29-30, 2018. The road was paved, including an area repaired in November 2017.

5/15/2018 - Blue Rock Mainline

Work began Tuesday, May 15, 2018 on the mainline on Blue Rock Road. The field techs located the existing 6" mainline, and tied in a valve to begin laying new pipe.

Photo of a mainline valve being installed on Blue Rock Road Photo of mainline pipe hauled on a flatbed truck

5/17/2018 - The crew continued to install approximately 200 feet of new mainline. The existing 6-inch mainline is being upgraded to 8-inch restraint-type ductile iron pipe. This will help the pipe withstand the force that has caused at least four breaks in the last two months in the existing pipe.

Photo of new pipe installed in a trench along Blue Rock Road Another photo of new pipe installed in a trench on Blue Rock Road

5/22/2018 - Installation of new pipe and service lines continued Friday, May 18 through Tuesday, May 22, 2018. At the end of the day on Tuesday, the crew was 14 feet from the final valve cluster, where they will tie into the existing mainline.

The first picture below shows service lines being tied into the new mainline; and the second picture below shows a section of pipe being swung into the trench. Each section of pipe weighs 400 pounds!

Photo of service lines tapped into the new mainline Photo of mainline pipt being swung into trench using a backhoe

5/29/2018 - Backfilling of the trench was completed on Thursday, May 24, 2018. The new pipe is being pressure-tested today. The project is expected to be completed this week, including paving.

11/1-11/2/2017 - Outage due to mainline leak on Benbow Drive

On Wednesday, November 1, 2017 at 10:39 am, Del Oro's Assistant Field Supervisor saw that at 10:12 am, the SCADA system began registering excessive flow of 120 gallons per minute from the Zone 1 tank meter. While investigating the reason for the excessive consumption, he found a large leak coming from somewhere in the casing under the bridge. Due to the leak's strain on the water system, the valve servicing the affected area was partially closed to lessen the impact. Customers serviced by that main then experienced low to no water pressure, and were notified of the situation by door tag. The supervisor decided to call a contractor, because of the leak's unknown location inside the casing. He first called a local contractor, John Neill, who was unavailable. When the contractor he engaged arrived to assess the situation, pipe supply stores were already closed, and it was dark outside. He and the contractor planned to locate and repair the leak the following morning.

The contractor arrived on November 2, 2017, and he and Del Oro's field techs dug through 12" of asphalt to reach the casing housing the leaking mainline:

Photo of asphalt cut to access leaking mainline

At several locations, they cut through the casing to try to find the leak:

They continued probing the casing until 4 pm when they located the leak. Due to the position of the leak where the casing and mainline exit the bridge, the supplies they had an hand did not work. They ordered supplies which arrived at 6 pm. Repairs commenced and were completed at 7:45 pm. After filling the newly repaired pipe, and flushing mainlines, service was fully restored to customers at 10:15 pm.

Between Del Oro's two field techs and the contractor, this leak took 57 man hours to locate and repair.

Below are photos of the old mainline and its replacement:

General Metered Service Charges
The Service Charge is a Readiness to Serve Charge which is applicable to all metered water service and to which is added the charge for water used, computed at the Quantity Rate below.

New Service Facilities Fee
Applicable to all customers applying for service in the utility in Pressure Zones 2 and 3 in the territory served for premises not previously connected to its distribution mains, for additional service connections to existing premises, and for increases in size of service connections to existing premises. See Schedule BN-F.
Meter Size	Initial Fee per Connection
5/8 by 3/4 inch	$ 6,000.00
3/4 inch	$ 9,000.00
1 inch	$ 15,000.00
1 1/2 inch	$ 31,000.00
2 inch	$ 48,000.00

New Service Advance Deposit	Zone 1	Zones 2 & 3
Applies to all new accounts	$ 242.35	$ 414.02

Meter Size	Monthly Charge
	Zone 1	Zones 2 & 3
5/8 by 3/4 inch	$ 96.94	$ 207.01
3/4 inch	$ 96.94	$ 207.01
1 inch	$ 214.40	$ 489.57
1 1/2 inch	$ 410.15	$ 960.51
2 inch	$ 645.06	$ 1,525.63
3 inch	$ 1,193.19	$ 2,844.24
4 inch	$ 1,976.24	$ 4,727.99

Quantity Rate	Zone 1	Zones 2 & 3
For all water used, per 100 cubic feet	$ 1.336	$ 2.961

Late Fee
For monthly bills not paid by the due date	$ 10.00

California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) Reimbursement Surcharge
A 0.8% surcharge is required to be added to all customers' bills, which is calculated on all amounts due and is forwarded to the Commission throughout the year.

Other Services and Fees
Please see the back of your bill for additional information about other services and fees.

Private Fire Protection Service Charges
Applicable to all metered water service furnished to privately-owned fire protection services.

Service Charge		Monthly Charge per Inch
For each inch of diameter of service connection		$ 34.83

Late Fee
For monthly bills not paid by the due date		$ 10.00

Other Services and Fees
Please see the back of your bill for additional information about other services and fees.

Private Fire Hydrant Service Charges
Applicable to all water service furnished to hydrants owned by individuals other than municipalities, organized fire districts, and other political subdivisions of the State.

Service Charge		Monthly Charge per Inch
For each inch of diameter of service connection		$ 33.31

Late Fee
For monthly bills not paid by the due date		$ 10.00

Other Services and Fees
Please see the back of your bill for additional information about other services and fees.

Special Conditions - Benbow Annual GENERAL METERED Service

All bills are subject to the CPUC reimbursement fee set forth in Schedule No. UF.
A late charge will be imposed per Schedule No. LC.
In accordance with Section 2714 of the Public Utilities Code, if a tenant in a rental unit leaves owing the company, service to subsequent tenants in that unit may, at the company’s option, be furnished on the account of the landlord or property owner.
The annual service charge applies to service during the 12 month period commencing January 1 and is due in advance. If a permanent resident of the area has been a customer of the utility for at least 12 months, the resident may elect, at the beginning of the calendar year, to pay prorated service charges in advance at intervals of less than one year in accordance with the utility’s established billing periods.
The established billing cycle for water is monthly.
The opening bill for metered service, except upon conversion from flat rate service, shall be established after the first day of any year, the portion of such annual charge applicable to the current year shall be determined by multiplying the annual charge by one three-hundred-sixty-fifth (1/365) of the number of days remaining in the calendar year. The balance of the payment of the initial charge shall be credited against the charges for the succeeding annual period. If service is not continued for at least one year after the date of initial service, no refund of the initial annual charges shall be due the customer.The annual service charge applies to service during the 12 month period commencing January 1 and is due in advance. If a permanent resident of the area has been a customer of the utility for at least 12 months, the resident may elect, at the beginning of the calendar year, to pay prorated service charges in advance at intervals of less than one year in accordance with the utility's established billing periods.
The CPUC granted and approved on January 1, 2020, for the Benbow District an Interim Rate Increase, followed by Resolution No. W-5229 dated August 6, 2020, granting a General Rate Increase and eliminating the $10.54 Lost Revenue Surcharge. With approval of this Advice Letter No. 523, DOWCBN – Zone 1 is granted reimbursement of the under-collected revenues in the amount of $9,454.84 as a one-time surcharge over approximately forty-eight (48) billing cycles at $2.16 per customer per month, or until the net shortfall is reimbursed.

DOWCBN – Zone 2 & 3 is granted reimbursement of the under-collected revenues in the amount of $3,835.12 as a one-time surcharge over approximately forty-eight (48) billing cycles at $2.76 per customer per month, or until the net shortfall is reimbursed.

If over-collection of funds occurs, a credit will be issued to the customers.

Special Conditions - Benbow PRIVATE FIRE PROTECTION Service

The fire protection service connection shall be installed by the utility and the cost paid by the applicant. Such payment shall not be subject to refund.
The minimum diameter for fire protection service shall be four inches and the maximum shall not be more than the diameter of the main to which service is connected.
If a distribution main of adequate size to serve a private fire protection service in addition to all other normal service does not exist in the street or alley adjacent to the premises to be served, then a service main from the nearest existing main of adequate capacity shall be installed by the utility and cost paid by the applicant. Such payment shall not be subject to refund.
Service hereunder is for private fire protection service to which no connection for other than fire protection purposes are allowed and which are regularly inspected by the underwriters having jurisdiction, are installed according to specifications of the utility, and are maintained to the satisfaction of the utility. The utility may install the standard detector type meter approved by the Board of Fire Underwriters for protection against theft, leakage, or waste of water and the cost shall be paid by the applicant. Such payment shall not be subject to refund.
The utility undertakes to supply such water at such pressures as may be available at any time through the normal operation of its systems.
All bills are subject to the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) Reimbursement Fee set forth in Schedule No. UF.
A late charge will be imposed per Schedule No. LC.

Special Conditions - Benbow PRIVATE FIRE HYDRANT Service

Water delivered for the purposes other than fire protection shall be charged for at the quantity rates in Schedule No. 1 Metered Service.
The cost of relocation of any hydrant shall be paid by the party requesting relocation.
Hydrants shall be connected to the utility’s system upon receipt of a written request from an individual. The written request shall designate the specific location of each hydrant and, where appropriate, the ownership, type, and size.
The utility undertakes to supply such water at such pressures as may be available at any time through the normal operation of its systems.
All bills are subject to the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) Reimbursement Fee set forth in Schedule No. UF.
A late charge will be imposed per Schedule No. LC.

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Benbow District

In Progress

Improvements to Date

Advice Letters (6)

Consumer Confidence Reports (5)