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Modifications to System Development Charges Effective September 1, 2026

The Board of Water Commissioners have approved modifications to System Development Charges effective September 1, 2026

The Board of Water Commissioners have approved changes to Medford Water’s System Development Charges (SDCs) following a 90-day public comment period and public hearings on August 19, 2026. Typically, SDCs are paid by developers as they develop land and make new connections to the water system utilizing existing system capacity. These one-time charges help fund capacity-increasing infrastructure improvements to our water system that are needed to support growth due to land development.

The following modifications to SDCs will take effect September 1, 2026:

  • Increase in SDCs for Water Treatment and Transmission Facilities from $2,393.37 to $2,537.50 per Equivalent Residential Unit
  • Decrease in SDCs for the East Side High Level Area from $16,147.55 to $16,135.98 per gross acre
  • Increase in SDCs for the Southwest High-Level Area from $10,603.97 to $10,886.24 per gross acre

Each year, Medford Water reviews its SDCs to update the costs for new service connections to our water system or an increase in capacity to an existing service connection. The fee is intended to recover a fair share of the costs of existing and planned facilities that provide capacity to serve new growth.

As development in the Rogue Valley has increased, so has the demand on our water system. To plan for these needs, Medford Water regularly updates its Capital Improvement Plan, which identifies the improvements necessary to maintain safe, reliable water service for current and future residents and businesses in our community. SDC charges ensure that “growth pays for growth”.

SDC revenue can only be used for capital projects that expand system capacity; it cannot be used for maintenance or operations. There has been no change to how these fees are calculated. These SDCs do not affect existing water services or water usage rates.

The modified charges will be posted on our SDCs page and in our Regulations Governing Water Service.

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