I am curious as to what my neighbors are paying for water. We are a family of three, no pool and water our yard once a week. Our bill was around $150 this month. My wife tells me that during the summer it reaches $300/mo. Is this a normal amount for our neighborhood? It seem extremely high to me. I would appreciate your comments.

By mleger

Water Rates

Our water bill for April was $100.00, we were charged for 15,000 gals. I started monitoring our water use each day and log it on the computer so when it gets close to where I want it we can cut back on its use, plus this helps me know how much I can water the yard. I am home all day so I can do this with no problem. :). Your seems normal, you might want to cut back on watering the yard.

By Craig Weaver

OK, soapbox time!

OK, time for me to stand up on my soap box!

This will probably be more than you want to know, but I'm pretty passionate about this.

We moved here from Tulsa, where your sewer rate is determined based on your winter consumption (to accomodate yard watering). Houston doesn't do this, so you end up paying sewer charges for the water you put on your lawn. Makes great sense, huh?!

If you want to avoid that, you two choices:

1) install a separate yard meter. I can't remember what the consumption level has to be to offset the expense of the additional meter, but I do remember that it's exhorbitant.

or...

2) drill a water well. The $4,000 to $5,000 ballpark figures I got after talking to some water well companies on the phone blow this option away.

The City of Houston charges more than twice what I was paying for the same water usage in Tulsa, and my Tulsa bill even included garbage service!

We're a family of three also, no pool.

Our May, 2000 bill was about $70.

Looking at our 3 year history:
avg. = $ 85
high = $209 Oct '98
low = $ 37 Jan '98
median = $ 70
st. dev. = $ 44

I obtained a copy of the Houston Ordinances for water & sewer rates from Karen Phillipi w/ the City of Houston (kphilipp@pwe.ci.houston.tx.us). You can pull them up online at:

http://www.municode.com/CGI-BIN/om_isapi.dll?infobase=10123.NFO&softpage=Browse_Frame_Pg42

Look for Chapter 47, Articles II & III, of the Code of Ordinances. Particularly sections 47-61, 47-121, & 47-1001.

I build a spreadsheet that has the 1999 ordinance rates in it (still current as of 05/19/2000). I can send it to you if you'd like.

Basically, if your water consumption climbs above 12,000 gals (what I believe is minimal consumption for most families), the city really sticks it to you.

I know Tulsa's watershed project is much more mature than Houston's & it could be that the high cost of capital is working against us right now. 20 years from now, we may be paying the same $/gal rates we are now, only then inflation will have made it a lot more affordable.

I'd be willing to ask Rob Todd to look into it if anyone else is interested.

By Bartt Shelton

Water Rates and Consumption

The City of Houston's water/sewer rates are among the highest in the nation, although there have been few increases in the past 6-8 years, bringing us down closer to the average (but still very high). The reasons for this are many: the rapid growth of Houston in the 1970s and 1980s, for which the City was unprepared for in terms of overall public works infrastructure; the massive 1980s EPA-mandated capital improvement expenditures to expand, upgrade and modernize our water and wasterwater systems....we have already spent close to $2 billion, and this is a large portion of the rates; and the cost of total conversion to surface water sources from drilling, as required by the regional subsidence district, due to the growing subsidence problem. This last item will drive up MUD rates in unincorporated areas close to or equal to City of Houston rates in the coming years. As far as consumption goes, the last time I checked in 1997, the average consumption in Houston was around 9,000 gallons per month, so 15,000 gallons a month w/o a pool seems a bit high. I know we water our lawn a couple times a week, with a family of four, and we average 8-9,000 gallons a month, which is a $50-$60 monthly bill (a bit higher in July and August). The City's penalty for over 12,000 gallons a month is meant to encourage water conservation and less strain on the total system. The City does have a free leak inspection service if you think that might be part of the problem.

By Jeff Hall