Association & Water Fees
SCCE has some of the lowest HOA fees and water rates in the area. We also have bragging rights to some of the clearest, cleanest, best-tasting water in the state (3rd best to be exact!). If you have questions about fees, check the FAQ on this page or drop us a note.
Your monthly $70 dues go a long way and are used to cover things like: lawn service for the commons area, pool supplies and maintenance, bookkeeping, property taxes, power for the well houses and booster stations, water operation fees, and up to 10,000 gallons of water per month for your household. Now that’s a refreshing deal!
How fees are calculated
Association fee and up to 10,000 gallons per household is $70.00 per month.
An additional $2.00 per every 1,000 gallons used over the 10,000 gallon maximum is also charged.
Your fee covers water usage (up to 10,000 gallons) for the month ahead. Additional fees for gallons used over the 10,000 maximum are for the previous month.
How about an example?
When you pay your water bill on February 1:
$70.00 is for your association fee + up to 10,000 gallons in March
+ $2.00 for every 1,000 gallons over 10,000 you used in January
Download this handy water usage chart to help you keep track of your use and any overages.
How do I pay my bill?
Association & water fees are due on the 1st of the month.
Electronic invoices for the current month will be sent via email at the beginning of the month.
Your invoice will reflect the association fee for the current month ($70.00) + any overage charges for water used in the previous month. There are now two ways to pay your bill:
Write A Check
Checks can be made to SCCE and placed in the mailbox in the commons area or mailed to:
South Canyon Country Estates
1520 Kings Road
Rapid City, SD 57702Sign Up for Auto-pay
SCCE has enabled an auto-pay option through Black Hills Federal Credit Union (BHFCU). Residents do not need to have an account with BHFCU to sign up for auto-pay. The auto-withdraw system is secure and the sign-up process is easy. Here’s how it works:Fill out the ACH Debit Authorization Form & attach a voided check
Place completed documents in the SCCE mailbox (or mail) as you would for your regular monthly dues
Bookkeeping will set up your account with Black Hills Federal Credit Union’s secure system
You will receive an invoice via email from bookkeeping at the beginning of the month detailing the amount owed which will be debited from your account
You will have 10 days to review the charges, dispute the bill, or request adjustments
Your account will be charged on the 12th of each month
Please note: If the completed documents (form & voided check) are placed in the SCCE mailbox at the commons or mailed to bookkeeping at 1520 Kings Rd by the 10th, funds should start pulling from your account on the 15th.
If you have any questions, please reach out to Accounts Receivable/Bookkeeping or a Board Member.
To sign up for auto-pay, download the ACH Debit Authorization form.
What happens if I’m late?
Payments are considered delinquent if not paid by the 15th of each month.
A late fee of $5 will be charged for payments received after the 15th of the month. Should late payments become habitual (3 or more consecutive months) a registered letter will be sent notifying the homeowner that payment must be received within 5 business days. If payment is not received within 5 days from receipt of the registered letter, the water operator will be notified and water service to the residence will be turned off.
To get water service turned back on the homeowner must pay:
A $100 reconnection fee
All current charges including late fees
The next month’s fees
Residents who fail to pay will have their accounts turned over to collections and/or a lien filed with the Register of Deeds. A real bummer for everyone involved.
Please know this process is required and used only as a last resort. It does not occur frequently.
The SCCE Board will make every effort to work with residents to avoid such measures.
FAQs
What are the average water use rates in the development?
Household water use can vary greatly depending on the number of people in the house, time of year, and yard watering habits. Generally speaking, most households use around 75 gallons per person per day. Using this rule of thumb, average use for a family of four would be around 9,000 gallons per month.
How do I find my curb stop?
Curb stops can be found on a front property line near a common lot line with a neighbor—often around a transformer. Your curb stop is metal, circular in shape, and approximately 3 inches in diameter. Curb stops should be on or near the surface, they require a key to operate, and should only be accessed by a licensed plumber or water operator.
What type of water meters are required?
As of February 2022, SCCE requires all residents to purchase a remote-read Kamstrup water meter which will allow us to more accurately track water usage community wide, identify water loss and/or leaks within the system and eliminate the need for homeowners to read and report water usage every month.
Am I responsible for meter purchase, repair or replacement?
Yes. Homeowners are required to purchase and are responsible for replacement and any related maintenance to the water meter unit installed within the home. The Kamstrup water meters required by the HOA come with a 10-year warranty.
Am I responsible for costs associated with water leaks?
Yes. Homeowners are responsible for costs related to any leaks identified from the curb stop to your home.
Do we add fluoride to our system?
No. Systems of our size are not required to add fluoride. However, our water does contain naturally occurring fluoride at levels that fall within the federally required concentration range (between 0.9 mg/l to 1.7 mg/l) for water systems serving more than 500 people.
Do we add chemicals to our system?
The only chemical added to our water system is chlorine. Chlorine levels are kept within the range required by the State and tested weekly.
What type of testing is done on our system?
All required water sampling and testing is conducted by our certified water operator and submitted to the State as required. Tests vary in frequency (from weekly or monthly to annual or every three years) and include monitoring levels of bacteria, chlorine, lead, copper, nitrates, and many other volatile organic chemicals. To date, SCCE has received annual awards and recognition from the State for providing safe, reliable drinking water with no violations.
Our Water System
SCCE residents can count an excellent water system as one of the many benefits in our community. Our fresh, clean water is supplied by the Deadwood Aquifer formation. Two wells supply water to our 140,000-gallon storage reservoir.
The development’s primary well (known as Well #1) was drilled in 1980. It replaced a smaller temporary well. Well #1 is 1,080 feet deep and has been a strong producing well since it was drilled.
In May 1997, as the community was expanding, an engineering report was completed on behalf of the development. This report ultimately determined that additional water production capacity was needed. In May 1999, a new well (referred to as Well #2) was drilled to a depth of 1,240 feet to supplement the water production of Well #1 and provide adequate supply for the community.
In 2015, a Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition system (SCADA) was installed. This user-friendly platform allows for both local and remote monitoring from a web-based laptop. Wells can be started and stopped from any remote location if needed. The system also has many alarm functions. Alarms are forwarded directly to the water operator within seconds of a detected alarm. Constant and detailed monitoring of the system allows us to respond to any issues quickly and continue to provide safe and reliable drinking water.
Our water system is also equipped with a booster system that helps keep up with demand and allows us to maintain steady pressure. During a loss of power, the system has a fail-safe which provides water and fire flow from the tank through a gravity flow system.