Municipal Department
San José Municipal Water System (Muni Water) – City of San José Environmental Services Department
Serving North San José/Alviso, Evergreen/Edenvale, and Coyote Valley service areas within San José
Population served
Approximately 98,198 people served by active PWS CA4310020, as identified in the City’s current water-supply evaluation; the City’s 2020 Urban Water Management Plan reported 26,094 metered connections. Muni Water supplies roughly 12% of San José and serves North San José/Alviso, Evergreen/Edenvale, and Coyote Valley rather than the entire city.
State system code
FIPS 06
Billing frequency
Usually bi-monthly for Muni Water accounts, with the current rate page stating that meter charges are billed every two months and displaying monthly-equivalent charges for convenience. The adopted water-service policy allows customers to be read and billed monthly or bi-monthly depending on the service address and Council rate schedule. Bills are due in full upon presentation, and the bill date controls the 25-day delinquency calculation.
Provider briefing
How this utility’s billing works
San José Municipal Water System (Muni Water) – City of San José Environmental Services Department operates as a municipal department serving North San José/Alviso, Evergreen/Edenvale, and Coyote Valley service areas within San José. Customers should use the provider’s current account-specific bill and official customer-service instructions as the final authority for deadlines, balances, and service requests.
The published water-rate framework is described as Flat volumetric pricing by service area and elevation zone, plus a bi-monthly meter-size service charge and a 5% utility tax. The current City rate table lists monthly-equivalent 3/4-inch meter service of $39.35, doubled on an actual bi-monthly bill, and quantity charges per HCF (748 gallons) of $8.63 in Evergreen/Edenvale Zone 1, $8.77 in Zone 2, $9.19 in Zones 3/4, $9.73 in Zones 5/6, $3.47 in Coyote Valley, and $9.29 in Alviso/North San José. The July 1, 2026 rate-notice schedule identifies the 2026-27 proposed/new figures as $40.13 monthly meter service and $8.79–$9.91 per HCF in the Evergreen/North San José areas and $3.53 in Coyote; the applicable location and elevation zone determine the bill.. Bills are generated usually bi-monthly for muni water accounts, with the current rate page stating that meter charges are billed every two months and displaying monthly-equivalent charges for convenience. the adopted water-service policy allows customers to be read and billed monthly or bi-monthly depending on the service address and council rate schedule. bills are due in full upon presentation, and the bill date controls the 25-day delinquency calculation., and a typical residential cost reference is For a 3/4-inch account using 5,000–7,000 gallons (approximately 6.7–9.4 HCF per month), the July 1, 2026 rate-notice water component is roughly $100–$145 per month including the 5% utility tax, before private fireline or other special charges. Adding the July 2026 proposed single-family sewer charge of approximately $51.73 per month produces a planning estimate of about $152–$197 for water and sanitary sewer; the actual amount varies materially by Evergreen elevation zone, North San José/Alviso versus Coyote service area, meter size, and billing period.. These descriptions are useful planning benchmarks; actual charges can change with meter size, usage, sewer averaging, local taxes, drought stages, or account-specific fees.
Wastewater and sewer calculation
Residential sanitary sewer service is an annual property-based charge collected through the Santa Clara County tax collector rather than a normal water-meter line item on the City utility bill. The July 1, 2026 rate notice proposes $51.73 per month ($620.76 per year) for a single-family residence, $34.66 per month per multiple-family unit, and $39.05 per month per mobile-home unit; the current rate page displays the corresponding current figures of $50.67, $33.95, and $38.25. Commercial, institutional, and light-industrial charges use adjusted water-consumption data and class-specific strength rates; annual consumption is estimated from the prior fiscal year’s January, February, and March water use to minimize landscape-irrigation effects. Monitored industrial users are billed monthly from actual or estimated sewage flow and BOD, suspended-solids, and ammonia measurements.
Meter and infrastructure notes
The City’s Utilities: Water Service Policies and Procedures state that Muni Water reads all meters monthly or bi-monthly, depending on the service address and adopted resolution, and bills the resulting service and consumption charges accordingly. The current rate page states that actual billing is bi-monthly and publishes meter-size charges as monthly equivalents. Public customer pages do not identify an AMI/AMR manufacturer, transmission interval, or route-day schedule; the current 2026 system description is therefore scheduled monthly/bi-monthly meter reading with consumption shown on the bill and future WaterSmart/AquaTrax leak and usage portals.
Emergency water support
Report a leak or water emergency
(408) 535-3500, the 24-hour Customer Contact Center for a Muni Water water emergency, public-side leak, broken fire hydrant, or possible water-main break. The City distinguishes a private-side leak, for which the property owner is generally responsible, from a meter-box or street-side leak, which should be reported to the water retailer. For sanitary-sewer overflow or running water in the street, the City also publishes (408) 794-1900 as a 24/7 emergency number.
Official starting point
Choose the right next step
Reading this profile
A practical reference for North San José/Alviso, Evergreen/Edenvale, and Coyote Valley service areas within San José
San José Municipal Water System (Muni Water) – City of San José Environmental Services Department is listed here as a municipal department. The profile separates account actions—such as paying a bill or requesting service—from explanatory material about rates, meters, wastewater, leaks, and delinquency.
Because utility rules can vary by account class, meter size, service address, billing date, and local ordinance, treat the published bill and current provider website as the final authority. Use this profile to locate the correct channel and prepare better questions for customer service.
If your issue is urgent, start with the provider’s emergency number or official payment route rather than waiting for an email response. Keep a written record of calls, confirmation numbers, notice dates, and documents you submit.