California American Water Company - Coronado

The Coronado water system is supplied entirely by treated surface water purchased from the City of San Diego. The City of San Diego obtains 80-90% of its raw surface water from the San Diego County Water Authority, with the remainder coming from local reservoirs.

The San Diego County Water Authority acquires most of its supply from the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California (MWDSC), supplemented by transfers from other water agencies. MWDSC has two primary raw water sources: the Colorado River and the Sacramento River Delta, transported via the Colorado and California aqueducts.

This MWDSC water is delivered to the San Diego County area through the San Diego County Water Authority and constitutes approximately 80-90% of the City of San Diego's water supply. The City operates three water treatment plants to process all available raw water supplies. The Coronado System receives water from two of these facilities: Alvarado and Otay Water Treatment Plants.

The water quality data provided represents only samples from the Alvarado and Otay WTPs, as water from the City's Miramar WTP does not reach the Coronado system. In February 2011, the City of San Diego began fluoridating water at all its treatment plants with an enhanced target level of 0.6 mg/L.

What Kind Of Property Is Assessed?

All real property is subject to assessment. Real property is defined as land and any permanent structures attached to it. Examples include homes, gas stations, office buildings, vacant land, shopping centers, condominium buildings, and restaurants.

How Is Real Property Assessed?

Before assessing any property parcel, the assessor estimates its market value - how much a property would sell for in an open market under normal conditions. To accurately estimate market values, assessors must thoroughly understand all aspects of the local real estate market. A property's value can be estimated using three different methods:

1. Market approach - The property is compared to similar properties that have recently sold, using only sales where both buyer and seller acted without undue pressure.
2. Cost approach - Calculate what the property would cost to replace the structure with a comparable one using current labor and material prices. This method is primarily used for special purpose and utility properties.
3. Income approach - Analyze potential income generation from rental properties like apartment buildings, stores, or factories. This considers operating expenses, insurance, maintenance costs, financing terms, and expected investment returns.

Once the assessor determines a property's market value, its assessment is calculated. New York State law requires all properties within a municipality to be assessed at a uniform percentage of market value, ensuring everyone pays their fair share of taxes as long as each property is assessed at the same percentage of value.

Who Do I Contact With Questions?

Assessors regularly communicate with the public, answering questions and addressing taxpayer concerns. Anyone can review the assessment roll and property information at any time. Property owners are responsible for monitoring their own assessments. If you believe your assessment is unfair, meet with your assessor before the tentative assessment roll is established. In an informal setting, the assessor can explain how the assessment was determined and the reasoning behind it.

Assessors are only concerned with fairly assessing property in their jurisdiction. If your assessment is accurate but your tax bill seems too high, the assessor cannot change that. Complaints should focus specifically on property classification issues. Informal meetings with assessors can occur throughout the year. If you still feel unfairly assessed after speaking with your assessor, request the publication "How to File a Complaint on Your Assessment," which explains the process for filing a complaint with the Board of Assessment Review. For more information about the assessment process, please call the Assessor at 366-9836.