After reviewing our own water and sewer bill recently, we decided to take a closer look at how Ventura County cities compare when it comes to water and sewer rates. As a local publication serving the 805 region of California, we thought this was information our readers would find useful, especially as household utility costs continue to be an important part of the monthly budget. We reviewed the available 2026 rate information and standardized comparisons to see which Ventura County communities have the highest combined residential water and sewer costs.
Water and sewer bills can vary significantly from one Ventura County community to another. Differences in water supplies, infrastructure, wastewater treatment, meter sizes, consumption and local rate structures can all affect what homeowners pay each month.
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Based on the City of Ventura's official neighboring-agency comparison, Santa Paula has the highest combined residential water and sewer bill among the Ventura County communities included in the comparison. The standardized comparison shows an estimated monthly bill of $207.56 for a single-family residence with a 3/4-inch water meter using 9 HCF of water per month.
Santa Paula Has the Highest Combined Bill in the 2026 Comparison
The City of Ventura's official water-rate comparison provides one of the clearest apples-to-apples comparisons of water and sewer costs among Ventura County communities. The comparison uses a standardized residential customer with a 3/4-inch water meter and 9 HCF of monthly water consumption.
Under that methodology, Santa Paula's estimated combined monthly water and sewer bill is $207.56.
That figure places Santa Paula above the other Ventura County communities included in the comparison. Because the comparison uses the same assumed household water consumption and meter size, it provides a useful way to examine relative utility costs without mixing different household usage assumptions.
It is important to understand that $207.56 is not necessarily what every Santa Paula homeowner pays. Actual bills depend on water usage, meter size, billing structure and the applicable rates for the customer's service area and billing period.
How Ventura County Cities Compare
The City of Ventura's neighboring-agency comparison provides the following estimated combined monthly water and sewer bills for the Ventura County communities included in the comparison:
| Community | Estimated Monthly Water & Sewer Bill |
|---|---|
| Santa Paula | $207.56 |
| Fillmore | $156.75 |
| Simi Valley | $150.46 |
| Camarillo | $137.85 |
| Thousand Oaks | $134.22 |
| Port Hueneme | $130.38 |
| Ventura | $128.80 |
| Oxnard | $128.53 |
| Ojai | $116.99 |
| Moorpark | $94.39 |
The comparison also includes Santa Barbara at $244.22, but Santa Barbara is located in Santa Barbara County and therefore is not included when determining which Ventura County city has the highest combined bill.
Why Santa Paula's Number Stands Out
The difference between communities comes from more than simply the price of water. Residential utility bills generally combine water service with wastewater or sewer service, and each local agency establishes its own rates based on its operating and infrastructure costs.
Water agencies must pay for sources of supply, treatment, pumping, storage, pipelines, meters, maintenance and other infrastructure. Wastewater agencies must operate collection systems and treatment facilities while also paying for maintenance, regulatory compliance and capital improvements.
These costs can vary considerably between neighboring communities, which helps explain why water and sewer bills can be substantially different even for households with similar consumption.
What Does 9 HCF of Water Mean?
The City of Ventura comparison uses 9 HCF as the assumed monthly residential water consumption.
HCF stands for hundred cubic feet. One HCF is approximately 748 gallons of water. Therefore, 9 HCF represents roughly 6,732 gallons of water.
Using a standardized amount of water is important when comparing utility bills. A household that uses considerably less water could have a lower bill, while a household with higher consumption could pay considerably more depending on the utility's rate structure.
Santa Paula Water and Sewer Rates
Santa Paula operates its own municipal water and sewer utility services. The city's official customer billing information provides information about water and sewer rates and utility billing for customers.
Because utility rates can change and the city's rate structure may contain different charges based on meter size and consumption, homeowners should consult the City's current rate schedule when calculating an individual household's bill.
For the purpose of the Ventura County comparison, the most useful figure is the standardized $207.56 combined monthly bill identified in the City of Ventura's eighboring-agency comparison.
Camarillo Water and Sewer Rates in 2026
Camarillo is another Ventura County community where water and sewer costs changed during 2026.
The Camarillo Sanitary District's adopted rate schedule establishes a $99.99 monthly single-family residential sewer charge beginning July 1, 2026.
Camarillo's water rates are separate from its sewer charges and include a fixed meter charge plus consumption-based charges. The city's water rate study explains that the rate structure is designed to recover the costs of providing reliable water service, including water purchases, groundwater production, operations and infrastructure.
Because water and sewer rates are calculated separately, adding an individual water estimate to the sewer charge should only be done when the same consumption and billing assumptions are used for both portions of the calculation.
Simi Valley Water and Sewer Costs
Simi Valley also has separate water and sanitation charges. The city's 2026 sanitation rate schedule establishes a $58.72 monthly single-family residential sanitation charge beginning July 1, 2026.
Simi Valley's water rates include a fixed service charge and a consumption charge based on the amount of water used. The city publishes its current water rates separately from its sanitation rates.
This illustrates why comparing only a city's sewer charge or only its water rate does not necessarily identify the community with the highest overall residential utility cost.
Ventura Water and Wastewater Rates in 2026
The City of Ventura adopted a new five-year schedule of water and wastewater rates that became effective July 1, 2026.
For a residential 3/4-inch water meter, the city's FY 2026-27 water service charge is $21.28 per month. Residential water consumption is charged according to tiered rates, with different prices applying depending on the customer's monthly water usage.
Ventura's wastewater charges also include fixed and usage-related components. The city's current rate information should be consulted when calculating an individual household's bill.
Interestingly, although the City of Ventura is the source of the regional comparison used in this article, Ventura itself is not the most expensive Ventura County community in that comparison. Its standardized combined monthly figure is $128.80.
Thousand Oaks Water and Wastewater Rates
Thousand Oaks uses separate water and wastewater rate structures. The city adjusted its water rates in 2026 and its wastewater rates beginning July 1, 2026.
The city's water charges include fixed and consumption-based components, while wastewater charges are based on the city's adopted wastewater rate structure.
In the City of Ventura's regional comparison, Thousand Oaks has an estimated combined monthly water and sewer bill of $134.22 under the standardized assumptions.
Does Santa Paula Have the Highest Water Rate?
Not necessarily. There is an important distinction between having the highest combined water and sewer bill and having the highest water-only rate.
A city could have relatively expensive water service but comparatively inexpensive wastewater service. Another community could have lower water costs but significantly higher sewer charges.
For that reason, this article focuses on the combined residential water and sewer bill rather than claiming that Santa Paula has the highest water-only rate in Ventura County.
Why Your Actual Bill May Be Different
The $207.56 Santa Paula figure is a standardized comparison rather than a prediction of an individual household's monthly bill.
Your actual utility bill may be higher or lower depending on several factors, including:
• Monthly water consumption
• Water meter size
• Residential or commercial service
• Tiered water pricing
• Fixed monthly service charges
• Sewer or wastewater charges
• The particular utility serving the property
• The billing period and rates in effect at the time
Some Ventura County properties may also have a mailing address associated with one city while receiving water or wastewater service from a different agency. Checking the utility identified on the actual bill is therefore important when comparing rates.
What Is the Most Expensive City for Water and Sewer in Ventura County?
Based on the City of Ventura's official standardized comparison, Santa Paula has the highest combined residential water and sewer bill among the Ventura County communities included in that comparison.
The estimated monthly cost is $207.56 for a single-family residential customer with a 3/4-inch water meter and assumed monthly consumption of 9 HCF.
The comparison is useful because it applies the same basic household assumptions across the communities. However, it should not be interpreted as saying that every Santa Paula household pays $207.56 per month.
What Ventura County Homeowners Should Know About 2026 Utility Rates
Water and sewer rates are an important household expense, particularly as cities and utility agencies invest in aging infrastructure, water supply reliability, treatment facilities and regulatory compliance.
Residents who want to compare their utility costs with neighboring communities should look at both their fixed charges and consumption charges. Simply comparing the price per unit of water can produce a misleading result because wastewater charges and fixed service fees can make up a significant portion of the total bill.
For homeowners considering a move within Ventura County, water and sewer costs can also be useful when estimating the ongoing cost of homeownership. However, utility rates should be evaluated alongside other recurring expenses such as property taxes, insurance, trash service and energy costs.
Bottom Line
According to the City of Ventura's official neighboring-agency comparison, Santa Paula has the highest combined residential water and sewer bill among the Ventura County communities included in the comparison.
The standardized monthly figure for Santa Paula is $207.56, based on a single-family residence with a 3/4-inch water meter and 9 HCF of monthly water consumption.
The figure provides a useful regional benchmark, but actual 2026 water and sewer bills vary by household. Residents should check their local utility's current rate schedule and their property's actual water consumption for the most accurate estimate.
How Ventura County Water Rates Compare With Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo Counties
How expensive is water in Ventura County compared with neighboring counties? The answer depends on whether you are comparing water service alone or the combined cost of water and sewer service. In the City of Ventura's standardized regional comparison, Santa Paula has the highest combined residential water and sewer bill among the Ventura County communities included, at $207.56 per month for a single-family residence with a 3/4-inch meter using 9 HCF of water. The same comparison lists the City of Santa Barbara at $244.22 per month, or about $36.66 more than Santa Paula.
San Luis Obispo also has relatively high residential water and sewer costs. The City of San Luis Obispo's rates effective July 1, 2026 include a $33.67 monthly residential water base charge, tiered water rates beginning at $9.51 per HCF, a $27.81 monthly residential sewer base charge and a sewer usage charge of $11.14 per HCF, subject to the customer's sewer cap. At 9 HCF of monthly water use and assuming the standard 5-HCF sewer cap, the combined charge is approximately $215 per month after applying the city's 5% Utility Users Tax to the water portion.
These figures provide useful examples of how water and wastewater costs vary throughout the Central Coast, but they should not be interpreted as countywide averages. Each city or water agency establishes its own rates, and customers in the same county can have substantially different bills depending on their utility, water consumption, meter size, sewer charges and other fees.
California Has Many of the Nation's Most Expensive Water Systems
California's reputation for expensive water is supported by recent national data, although saying that California simply has the highest water rates in the United States is an oversimplification.
A 2026 analysis by Food & Water Watch examined the 500 largest community water systems in the United States and calculated the cost of supplying a typical household with 60,000 gallons of water per year. The study found that the average system charged approximately $531 per year, or about $44 per month, for drinking water service alone. Wastewater and stormwater charges were not included in this comparison.
California was heavily represented among the nation's most expensive water systems. Thirteen of the 25 most expensive systems in the study were located in California. The nation's three most expensive systems that were located in California included San Jose Water Company at $1,416.09 per year, Escondido at $1,359.60 per year and Santa Barbara at $1,316.06 per year.
Santa Barbara's ranking is particularly notable for residents of the 805 region. The City of Santa Barbara ranked ninth among all 500 systems examined, with a standardized annual water bill of $1,316.06, or approximately $109.67 per month. Escondido ranked fourth nationally at $1,359.60 per year, while San Jose Water Company ranked first at $1,416.09 per year.
Which California Counties Are Represented Among the Highest-Cost Systems?
The national study ranks individual water systems rather than counties, so it would be misleading to describe Santa Clara, San Diego and Santa Barbara counties as the three counties with the highest water rates. However, all three counties are represented by water systems near the top of the national ranking.
San Jose Water Company, which serves customers in Santa Clara County, ranked first nationally at $1,416.09 per year. The City of Escondido in San Diego County ranked fourth at $1,359.60 per year. The City of Santa Barbara in Santa Barbara County ranked ninth at $1,316.06 per year.
Other California systems in the national top 25 include utilities serving communities in Marin, San Francisco, Sacramento, San Diego, Santa Barbara, Santa Clara and other counties. In total, California accounted for more than half of the 25 most expensive systems examined by Food & Water Watch.
Does California Really Have the Highest Water Rates in the United States?
Not exactly. California has an unusually large number of very expensive water systems, but the latest national study did not find that California had the highest average water bill among states.
Food & Water Watch found that the two largest water systems it examined in West Virginia had the highest average water bills among the states, at approximately $1,383 per year. Idaho had the lowest average among the states represented, at approximately $286 per year. California's distinction was the unusually large number of individual systems appearing among the nation's most expensive.
That distinction is important. Water rates are set locally, and California contains hundreds of different water agencies with very different water sources, infrastructure costs and rate structures. Some California households therefore pay substantially more than the national average, while others pay considerably less.
For Ventura County residents, the local comparison tells an interesting story. Santa Paula's standardized combined water and sewer bill of $207.56 is substantially higher than the $128.80 figure shown for the City of Ventura under the same regional comparison. Santa Barbara's comparable combined figure is higher still at $244.22. Meanwhile, the City of San Luis Obispo's current 2026-27 rates produce a combined monthly charge of approximately $215 under the assumptions described above.
The bottom line is that California really does have some of the most expensive water systems in the country, but there is no single California water rate. What a household pays depends heavily on the city or water agency providing service, how much water the household uses and whether wastewater charges are included.
Frequently Asked Questions About Ventura County Water Rates
Which city has the highest water and sewer bill in Ventura County in 2026?
Santa Paula has the highest combined residential water and sewer bill among the Ventura County communities included in the City of Ventura's standardized comparison, at $207.56 per month.
How much is the average water and sewer bill in Santa Paula?
The $207.56 figure is a standardized comparison rather than an average of all Santa Paula households. It assumes a 3/4-inch residential water meter and 9 HCF of monthly water consumption.
Is Santa Paula's water rate the highest in Ventura County?
Not necessarily. The comparison identifies Santa Paula as having the highest combined water and sewer bill under the specified assumptions. Water-only rates use different billing structures and should be compared separately.
Which Ventura County city has the lowest combined bill in the comparison?
Moorpark has the lowest estimated combined monthly water and sewer bill among the Ventura County communities shown in the City of Ventura's comparison, at $94.39 under the standardized assumptions.
Can my water and sewer bill be different from these figures?
Yes. Actual utility bills depend on consumption, meter size, applicable rates, service provider and other factors. The figures in the regional comparison are standardized estimates rather than universal household bills.
Sources
City of Ventura, "Neighboring Agency Bill Comparison ," Water Commission/Water and Wastewater Financial Planning materials. The comparison uses a single-family residential customer with a 3/4-inch water meter and 9 HCF of monthly water use. City of Ventura official source.
Food & Water Watch, Surging Water Costs amid the US Affordability Crisis, October 2026. The study examined the 500 largest community water systems in the United States and calculated a standardized household water bill using 60,000 gallons of annual water use. The comparison covers drinking water service and does not include wastewater or stormwater charges.
Published October 3, 2026, In 805 Media (in805.com)