Los Angeles LADWP Schedule C: July-December 2026 Commercial and Industrial Water Rate Checks

What changed in LADWP Schedule C

Source-reported facts: LADWP Schedule C applies to commercial, industrial, governmental, temporary construction, and other water service where no rate schedule is specified.

For service within the City of Los Angeles, LADWP lists July-December 2026 total consumption charges of $10.529 per HCF for Tier 1 and $14.513 per HCF for Tier 2.

Who may be affected

Hotels, restaurants, entertainment venues, industrial facilities, campuses, healthcare sites, retail centers, construction accounts, and government facilities should verify Schedule C applicability and HCF usage.

Outside-city accounts should add the outside-city surcharge. LADWP lists the 2026 outside-city surcharge at $0.319 per HCF.

Why the first-tier allotment matters

LADWP says the Tier 1 summer usage block is tied to prior winter usage and calculated from specified historical winter-use factors. Customers without an established first-tier block are billed at Tier 1 until the block can be calculated.

That means two commercial properties with the same monthly HCF may have different Tier 2 exposure depending on their winter-use history and allotment calculation.

What a 20 percent usage reduction could mean

Directional estimate: assume a Los Angeles Schedule C account uses 300 HCF in a month and the last 60 HCF are billed at the July-December 2026 Tier 2 rate. A 20 percent reduction equals 60 HCF.

At $14.513 per HCF, that Tier 2 water exposure is about $870.78 per month before any sewer, sanitation, fixed, or non-LADWP charges. Actual savings depend on allotment, billing period, service area, and site feasibility.

What to check first on your bill

Confirm Schedule C service, HCF, billing period, first-tier allotment, Tier 2 volume, inside-city or outside-city status, and whether General Provision N or General Provision M could affect high-season allotments.

Do not assume a 20 percent reduction removes every Los Angeles utility line. Sewer, sanitation, fixed, meter, and non-water fees need separate source documents.

Where Smart Valve fits

Smart Valve may be relevant when a Schedule C site has controllable water volume, especially if usage is consistently reaching Tier 2. It cannot change the LADWP tier formula or historical allotment calculation.

A useful assessment starts with HCF by month, tier position, and how much of the bill is variable water exposure rather than fixed or unrelated charges.

FAQ

Sources

• LADWP - Schedule C commercial, industrial, and governmental water rates (retrieved July 1, 2026)
• LADWP - water rate adjustment factors (retrieved July 1, 2026)