General Rate Case 2026

Effective July 1, 2026

Valley Water (VW), the wholesale water provider for Santa Clara County, is increasing its water rates effective July 1, 2026. These changes will affect all water retailers in the county, including San Jose Water (SJW).

SJW is entirely separate from VW and purchases water from them in two ways:

• Imported water treated at one of the three VW water treatment plants
• Groundwater pump taxes for water taken from our wells
  
  

What You Need to Know

January 1, 2026, marks the second year of our General Rate Case (GRC) which has been approved by the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC). Year 2 of our 2025-27 GRC Filing shows an increase in the quantity rate and service charge of approximately 2.8%, effective January 1.

Your bill will be prorated at both the old and new rates. The increase enables SJW to invest $450 million over three years in drinking water infrastructure to support day-to-day water system functions, fire protection, economic vibrancy, and environmental conservation efforts.

The below charts explain the changes in rates between 2025 and 2026 by tier as well as by meter size.

There are two main components to your water bill: the service charge and the quantity charge.

The service charge, based on your meter size, is fixed and does not vary if you use more or less water.

The quantity charge is variable and depends on the amount of water you use.

Check back here for the latest info on rate changes throughout 2026.

Prior Years

Answers to your most commonly asked questions.

What to know about the service charge on your water bill.