The Hydrant Meter Program is designed to protect public health by ensuring the safe use of the public water system and accurately tracking water usage. This helps prevent potential safety risks, ensures proper reporting to the State, and avoids placing unnecessary financial burdens on ratepayers. The program is governed by the Cross-Connection Control Policy Handbook (CCCPH), which sets standards applicable to all California Public Water Systems (PWS) as defined in Section 116275(h) of the California Health and Safety Code.

A Hydrant Meter Permit is required for any use of a fire hydrant within city limits.

Permit Application Process:

• The customer completes the City’s Hydrant Meter Permit Application and emails the completed form.
• The city reviews the application, assigns a permit number on the application, and returns the approved application to the customer via email.
• The customer brings the approved application to the City’s Finance counter at 650 Merchant Street, Vacaville, and pays a $3,500.00 deposit fee.
• The customer emails a copy of the deposit receipt.
• Upon receipt of the deposit confirmation, the City will acknowledge via email and contact the customer to schedule the hydrant meter installation. Please allow up to 3 business days for the meter to be set.

Charges:

Customers will be charged a daily rental fee of $15.15 for the hydrant meter. In addition, water usage will be billed separately at the current City rate, which is subject to annual adjustments. For 2026, the water rate is $2.04 per 100 cubic feet. A $3,500.00 deposit is also required for each application.

Monthly Meter Reads:

For customers requiring a hydrant meter for an extended period, a monthly bill will be issued to cover daily rental fees and water usage. Customers are responsible for performing monthly meter readings and must email a clear photo of the hydrant meter showing both the serial number and volume usage. 

Meter Removal, Inspection, and Final Billing 

Customers request a hydrant meter removal via email. A final meter read will be taken at the time of removal.

The meter will be inspected by Utilities Department staff. If no damage is found, a final bill will be issued, and the deposit will be refunded once the account balance is paid in full. If damage is identified, the cost of repair or replacement will be deducted from the deposit. Any remaining balance will be added to the final bill. 

End of Year:  

Beginning in 2026, hydrant meters will no longer need to be returned at the end of the year, and a new permit will not be required for continued use into the following year.  

Exception:  

Capital Improvement Projects are provided Hydrant Meters free of charge, except for the deposit. Although a permit must still be issued, in order to track the hydrant meter and water usage.  

O&M service charges pay for the operations and maintenance, improvement, repair, replacement, and upgrade of all components related to the collection and treatment of wastewater (sewer) from, and delivery of potable water to, all residences, agencies, business, and industries in the City. Sewer and Water rates are established by City Council based on comprehensive rate studies.

The main components of the City’s sewer system consists of miles of sewer lines, manholes, and lift stations located throughout the city, as well as the Easterly Wastewater Treatment Plant. The City collects and treats on average 8.2 million gallons of sewage each day. Sewer charges consist of a fixed component based on service delivery costs and a variable component based on customer usage.

Review sewer charges Frequently Asked Questions for more information.

The main components of the City’s water system include canals, meters, reservoirs, wells, water lines, and the City Water Treatment Plant. In 2014 the City provided over 5 billion gallons of potable water to its residential, commercial, industrial and institutional customers. As with sewer, water charges consist of a fixed component based on service delivery costs and a variable component based on customer usage.

City customers receive a bi-monthly bill which includes both their sewer and water O&M fees. Review a billing sample to learn more about each of the fees and how they are calculated.

Low Income Discount: Customers on a fixed or lower income may qualify for a discount on their water service charges. In order to qualify, customers must meet income requirements and be enrolled in the PG&E California Alternate Rates for Energy (CARE) program. You may complete the application form below and bring that to the Finance Department located at 650 Merchant Street, Vacaville, CA along with a copy of your most current PG&E statement showing you are enrolled in the CARE program and are receiving the CARE discount. If you're not already enrolled in the CARE program and think you may qualify, find out more about the eligibility requirements and how to enroll. 

The low income discount is funded by revenues not collected through water rates in accordance with State of California regulations. In the event this funding runs out before the end of the fiscal year (June 30), the program will be temporarily suspended until the start of the following fiscal year (July 1) when funding is approved. Please complete the Low Income Discount Application and call (707) 449-5128 for more information.

These fees are applied to businesses that are required have a permit under the City’s Pretreatment Program to discharge wastewater to the City’s Easterly Wastewater Treatment Plant. Such businesses include industrial facilities, haulers of septage, fats, oil and grease, and dischargers of remediated groundwater within City limits. The fees pay for the administrative costs of maintaining such permits.

These fees are adjusted annually based on the Construction Cost Index (CCI) published every October. The current fee for 2025 is $647.89.

An eleven percent (11%) surcharge is applied to the sewer portion of monthly or bi-monthly water and sewer bill for specific industrial, commercial, and waste or septage hauler businesses. This surcharge partially funds the City’s Pretreatment Program, which is required by Federal and State regulations. The purpose of the program is to accomplish three objectives:

1. Prevent the introduction of pollutants that could interfere with the operation and maintenance of the City’s sewer collection system and or wastewater treatment plant.
2. Prevent the introduction of pollutants that could compromise the safety of the general public or workers of the sewer collection system and or wastewater treatment plant.
3. Prevent the introduction of pollutants that would cause the bio-solids generated by the wastewater treatment plant to be disposed of as hazardous waste.

This is accomplished through public education and outreach as well as inspection and/or wastewater sampling of the specific aforementioned businesses.

These fees are applied to the water portion of the monthly or bi-monthly utilities bill for industrial and commercial businesses and for certain residents who are required to have backflow prevention devices on their water service line. The amount of the fee is based on the size of the backflow device installed in the customer’s water service line.

The fees help fund the City’s Cross Connection Control Program which is required by state regulations. The purpose of the program is to protect the City’s public potable water supply from the possibility of contamination or pollution by preventing contaminants or pollutants which could enter the public water system from backflow or cross connections. This is accomplished through routine inspections and maintenance of nearly 1,700 backflow prevention devices installed on water service lines throughout the City of Vacaville. View current backflow device fees.