Tap Fees Imposed by Special Districts

A tap fee is a fee that is paid by a developer or property owner in order to connect a property to a public water or sewer system. Current law allows the board (board) of any sanitation, water and sanitation, or water district (water district) to impose and set the amount of a tap fee.

The bill states that a board of a water and sanitation or water district has a duty to provide water service if the water special district has the capacity to do so , with certain exceptions . The bill also requires a board of a water and sanitation or water district , in determining the amount of a tap fee, to:

• Ensure that the amount of the tap fee is reasonably related to the costs incurred by the water district in providing water service, which may include certain specified costs relating to the acquisition of water rights and do not include other specified costs ; and
• Take into consideration as supporting a reduced or proportional tap fee at least 2 1 of the following factors in supporting the calculation and setting of proportional or reduced fees :
• Expected long-term water usage, both indoor and outdoor , including the existence of nonnative turf grass and use of water-wise landscaping, with an emphasis on native plants ;
• The square footage of the unit or the number of bedrooms in the unit ;
• The presence of low-water-usage appliances, if applicable;
• The number of bedrooms and bathrooms Per-unit fixture counts in bathrooms, kitchens, and other spaces, interior and exterior, that provide water or sanitation service ; and
• The presence of graywater treatment works, if applicable as may be authorized within the district boundaries.

(Note: Italicized words indicate new material added to the original summary; dashes through words indicate deletions from the original summary.)

(Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.)