Want to conserve water? Not sure where to start? Our Water Calculator quickly estimates how much water your household uses and compares it to a similar average and a highly efficient home.
HOW IS YOUR WATER BILL FIGURED?
Your water
company has the responsibility to mail
you
a bill for your water service at least every billing
period,
which may be monthly, bimonthly or quarterly.
This
bill will be based on either a meter reading or an
The
Water Meter & Meter Readings
At
least every three months on approximately the
same
date, meter readers are scheduled to read the meter at
your
residence. Meter readers and utility service persons
carry
identification, which you may ask to see for your
protection.
Some water companies are reading meters
electronically
from their office instead of sending a meter
reader
to your residence.
The
meter is the property of the water company.
You
are legally prohibited from removing and/or tampering
with
the meter. You are responsible for keeping the area
around
the meter clear and easy to access. You may need to
restrain
your dog or move objects that prevent the meter
reader
from reading the meter. You have the responsibility
to
provide access to the meter at all times. You also have
the
responsibility to protect the meter from freezing and
from
being damaged. If the meter is not in your residence,
it
may be located in a meter pit on your property line. The
meter
may have been installed in a pit due to the length of
your
water service line or not having a proper location in
your
residence to set a meter.
When
your water meter is not scheduled to be read,
the
water company estimates your bill. The estimate is
based
on your previous usage history (your past meter
readings)
and may be adjusted for existing weather
Your
bill may also be estimated when extreme
weather
conditions, emergencies, strikes, or other
circumstances
prevent the company from taking a meter
Another
time your water bill may be estimated is
when
the meter reader cannot gain access to your meter.
When
this happens the water company still has a
responsibility
to take an actual meter reading every six
months
unless you supply your own meter readings. If you
supply
the reading, the water company has the responsibility
to
take an actual reading every 12 months. You and the
company
have the responsibility to make arrangements for
meter
readings if the meter is in a locked place. If your bill
has
been estimated for several months, your bill may change
upward
or downward according to the actual reading.
Supply
Your Own Meter Readings
If you wish all
your bills to be based on
meter
readings, you may supply the company with
readings
during estimated billing periods. Simply
request
meter reading cards from the company, and
return
them by the date listed on the card. The
water
company’s local business office will also
provide
you with meter reading instructions.
How
to Check Your Utility Bill For Accuracy
If
you think that your water bill is wrong,
you
can check it in the following ways:
Read
your meter if you question the
amount
of service you have used. Your usage will
have
increased between the time the water
company
read your meter and when you take the
reading.
For this reason, your reading will be
somewhat
higher than the reading listed on your
Compare
the bill to the one you received
at
the same time last year to see if there is any
change
in the amount of water you have used.
Remember
to compare differences in usage rather
than
differences in the total dollar amount of the