Water & sewer charging

Errin Chapin asked if the commercial and residential water and sewer rates were the same, and I did not know and had to get the answer from Mike Sullivan, which turned out to be interesting –

Pete & Errin, The water charge is based on usage, with a tiered rate structure. There is a minimum charge for any usage up to 10,000 gals., so anyone using less than 10,000 gallons of water during the six month billing period is charged for 10,000 gallons of water. Then there are increasing water usage rates for 10,000 to 35,000 gals., 35,000 to 70,000 gals. and over 70,000 gals. The rates for each of these is printed on the water bill that is sent out. Commercial water users are billed using the same rate structure as residential users, so for water, the do not pay a higher rate. For sewer charges, commercial uses do pay a higher rate, but in a round about way. A residential user is billed for sewerage based on 75% of water usage. The theory behind that is residential customers do not put all of the water they use into the sewer system, It is assumed that some of the water they use is for watering lawn or gardens, washing cars, filling swimming pools, etc. Commercial sewer uses, however, are bill based on 100% of water usage. It is assumed that all of the water they use goes into the sewer system for collection and treatment. This results in commercial users paying a 25% premium for sewer services. Unlike water, there is no tiered rate structure; only one rate for sewer services, The reason for basing sewer rates on water consumption is that sewerage unlike water, is not metered. Hope that answers Errin’s question.  Mike