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ASK DR. SUMNER
UTILITIES How often do you bill for utilities? Why do I get a water bill every month if you read my meter every-other month? How do you calculate what to charge me for water? How do you calculate what to charge me for storm water? How do you calculate what to charge me for sewer?
How often do you bill for utilities? Your utilities are charged every month. All the rates below are for each month. However, your water meter is read every-other month and the charge from that reading is split between the following two months’ bills. So, you are charged for September’s reading half on your October bill and the other half on your November bill. The meters are read in January, March, May, July, September and November.
Why do I get a water bill every month if you read my water meter every-other month?
What you owe based on that reading is split in half and billed over the next two months. So, say your meter reading in September shows that you used 14 units of water since the last reading in July. You would be charged for seven of those units on your October bill and the other seven in November. The idea is to spread out the cost to you rather than send one large bill every two months. Plus, other utilities, such as sewer, are also billed per month.
It’s important to note that you are paying for water after you use it. As you see in our sample scenario, if you increase your water use during the summer (as most of us do), you’ll be paying for that in late autumn!
Of course, a great way to keep your water bill low, even in the summer, is to try the various water conservation measures. Good tips are available at www.wateruseitwisely.com.
How do you calculate what to charge me for water? You are charged based on how much water you use. Water is measured in cubic feet.
One unit = 100 cubic feet One cubic foot = 7.48 gallons One unit = 748 gallons
The base rate is $10.60, assuming you have ¾” meter size.* From that base rate, you add a rate that varies depending on how much water you use: 1 to 10 units are $0.93 per unit 11-20 units are $1.21 per unit 21+ units are $1.45 per unit
If you used 1200 cubic feet of water, you would be charged for 12 units since each unit is 100 cubic feet.
Base Rate: $10.60
Flow: 10 units at $0.93 rate = $9.30 2 units at $1.21 rate = $2.42 Total Flow: $11.72
Total water charge: $22.32
*Most residences have ¾” meter size. The other sizes charged base rates as follows: 1” -- $25.75 1½” -- $51.54 2” -- $82.44 3” -- $154.61 4” -- $257.65 6” -- $515.31 8: -- $824.51 How do you calculate what to charge me for storm water? All residents are charged $10.01 per month.
How do you calculate what to charge me for sewer? Sewer rates start with a base. For a single family home, that base is $37.76 for up to 5 units. (A unit is 100 cubic feet or 748 gallons.) For a multi-family home, that base is $32.20 for up to 4 units. You’ll see this base rate on your bill. If you use more than the base, you’re charged $5.55 per unit. This shows up on your bill as a separate charge that appears only when you go over your base rate.
Unlike water, there is no meter on sewer use. Instead, we base your sewer use on your water use during the winter months. If you’re wondering why we base it on winter-month water use, it’s actually for your benefit! It keeps your sewer charge from reflecting increased water use in the summer, usually due to activities such as watering the yard that don’t affect your sewer use.
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