So the water bill pops up in my mailbox, as it usually does. And, as usual, the “Allocated Sewer Service” is about twice the “Allocated Water Service.” This strikes me as being quite mysterious since, if I’m outputting twice the water I’m drinking, if you get my drift, I would shrivel up and die. Care to concoct elaborate theories on how I manage to use twice as much sewage as water?
Its because sewage is more complicated to process than fresh water. Everywhere I’ve ever lived has charge more for sewer than water. I don’t know why its printed as more usage, but the processing is what they told me.
Is the actual charge for sewer about twice more than the in coming water? Or are you saying that they allocate about twice as much volume to you for sewer vs. water?
If the latter, I’m guessing that the solid wastes that you flush out of the house are taken into consideration.
If the former, I’d tend to agree with picunurse.
-j
I’m assuming you mean that the cost is double, not the usage. Probably they don’t measure your sewer usage at all, but just use the incoming-water volume to calculate both costs, and the sewer rate happens to be higher. That’s how it is in the water department I work in.
Exactly why the rates are the way they are is something I’ve never been able to find out. It’s probably not just the difference in processing costs, because some areas of the county pay almost equal rates, and others have sewer rates more than double the water rates. I think it has something to do with the costs of originally installing the lines and setting up the system and stuff. Apparently, the water department thinks that this is not something that Customer Service needs to know.
(Oh no! I have to explain people’s water bills to them all day long at work, and now they’ve found a way to get to me in my spare time too! Help me!)
I’m just going by what the bill says. It says “Useage.” Since my Sewer useage keeps going up while I use less and less water (since I’m sick of this sky high bills), should I start pooping at other places?
Here in Atlanta (YMMV in the cabinet):
Sewage is charged as 200% of incoming. They don’t put a monitor or meter on that (yuck).
The rate is also a lot higher on that column. What are you gonna do - switch to the OTHER water company?
Must be it. Atlanta, here. And yea, I love getting screwed by the water company.