Reducing water use during winter can save on monthly sewer bill
City shares winter water conservation reminder
– The City of Paso Robles would like to remind residents that their winter water use sets their sewer rates for the year, and by conserving water from Dec. 20 through Feb. 20 residents can lower their sewer bills considerably.
To get rates as low as possible, residents can conserve water by reducing outdoor irrigation during the winter season (Dec. 20-Feb. 20).
Lawns and ornamental landscaping require much less water during the cool winter days and can typically rely on the rain we receive to keep them happy and healthy throughout the winter season. Not only is reducing water during the winter months important to conserve our local water resources, but it also has a big impact on your monthly sewer bill calculation.
Monthly wastewater charges for single-family residential customers (1-4 units) are based on a combination of a flat rate charge and a variable charge. The variable charge portion of your sewer bill is based on water usage from around Dec. 20 through Feb. 20.
Unlike potable water lines that deliver fresh water to our homes, sewer lines do not have flow meters that are capable of tracking usage. For this reason, it is commonplace for wastewater utilities to use winter water usage to estimate wastewater generation. In winter months, when outdoor irrigation is significantly reduced or turned off completely, the metered water usage gives a good representation of how much wastewater is generated and actually flowing down the sewer pipes of homes and to the wastewater treatment plant.
For more information about the city’s current sewer rate structure please visit https://www.prcity.com/165/Sewer-Rates.
