Why changes in your property tax bill

Your Business Potable Water Use Drives Your Sewer Service and Use Charge  

Your portable water records from San Jose Water Company (for the calendar year immediately preceding your property tax bill) is used to estimate your wastewater discharge. Your Sewer Service and Use Charge is calculated based on the the following rates for each hundred cubic feet (HCF) of estimated wastewater discharged. When you have an industrial waste discharge permit that is directly measuring your wastewater discharge, then that discharge amount is used.

Fee Charged for Your Estimated Wastewater Discharge Varies Based on the Type of Your Business

Each business operation outlined in the following table is charged a different rate per hundred cubic feet of estimated wastewater discharged based on the different characteristic of wastewater being generated. Each business operation generates a different amount of pollution effect measured by biochemical oxygen demand, amount of suspended solids that needs to be removed, and amount of ammonia.

Business OperationRate per HCF
Car Wash$4.88
Electrical Equipment Manufacturer 
$5.35
Film Service
$4.61
Hospitals and Convalescent Homes
$6.00
Hotel / Motel
$6.22
Laundry - Domestic
$5.42
Laundry - Industrial 
$10.31
Machinery Manufacturing
$7.99
Plating Works
$4.43
Printing Works
$7.57
Restaurant 
$12.46
Retail / Office / Misc.
$5.40
Schools / Churches
$6.19
Service Station / Repair Shop
$6.20
Winery
$17.97