The Utility Billing Division provides utility billing and customer services to approximately 29,000 customers of the City’s water, wastewater, and solid waste utilities. Division staff also provides financial management support to enable the provision of high-quality utility services at the lowest possible rates. All costs of the division are reimbursed by the three utilities through an in-lieu payment to the General Fund.
Activities in this division include reading of water meters, operating the utility customer service center, issuing utility bills and collecting revenues, and maintaining the automated utility billing system. Residential meters are read every other month, and commercial meters are read once a month, with customers billed accordingly. The utility customer service center works with customers to start and stop utility services as needed and process one-time orders for service. Payments from customers are processed daily and delinquent bills are ultimately collected through the interruption of service.
Finally, staff in this division provides financial management services to the utility operating programs. Activities in this area include developing and setting annual utility rates and taking them to Council for approval, preparing and reviewing operating and capital budgets and long-term financial plans for each utility, and providing financial and operational consulting services to utility program managers.
Rates
Wastewater Treatment
Wastewater rates cover the costs of prevention of water pollution in San Francisco Bay through wastewater collection, treatment and disposal; enforcement of state and federal water quality standards for business and industrial wastewater; operation of facilities for the treatment, production, and storage of recycled water so that it can be reused for landscape irrigation; compliance with state and federal environmental regulations; and the cost of infrastructure and capital projects.
Solid Waste and Recycling
Solid waste rates mitigate the costs of solid waste collection, curbside recycling service, Sunnyvale’s share of the operations of the Sunnyvale Materials Recovery and Transfer (SMaRT) Station, disposal of solid waste at Kirby Canyon Landfill in southern San Jose, household hazardous waste disposal events, ongoing maintenance and environmental monitoring of the City’s closed landfill, and compliance with state and federal environmental regulations.
Water Supply and Distribution
Customer utility bills will vary according to the amount of water each residence uses. Sunnyvale purchases water from the San Francisco Water Department and the Santa Clara Valley Water District, and uses water from the City’s own groundwater wells. Water rates cover the costs of purchasing water from wholesale water suppliers, water storage and distribution, water system maintenance and operation, compliance with established water quality standards and the cost of water-related capital and infrastructure projects.
The Utility Fee Schedule contains Water, Sewer and Garbage rates for residents and businesses in Sunnyvale. If you have any questions regarding this information, or any other question related to the provision of water, sewer, or garbage service, please feel free to call the Sunnyvale Utilities Division at (408) 730-7400.
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