CMPA Green Presentation
While most Americans worry about gas and heating oil prices, water rates
have surged in the past dozen years, according to a USA Today analysis of 100
municipalities. Prices at least doubled in more than a quarter of the locations
and even tripled in a few.
Prices rose 71 percent in Cincinnati. That compares to 68 percent in St. Louis,
76 percent in Louisville, 80 percent in Indianapolis, 118 percent in Columbus
and 130 percent in Cleveland, according to the analysis.
Greater Cincinnati Water Works officials attributed the local increase to
regular repairs and improvements, a new $30 million water treatment facility
in California and the rising cost of the electricity and chemicals needed to treat
drinking water.
For Cincinnati and Hamilton County residents, the increase in water rates is
exacerbated by big jumps in sewer costs. The average county resident this
year pays a combined $976.88 for water and sewers, but water accounts for
only about $300 of that total.
Sewer rates have soared because the Metropolitan Sewer District is spending
hundreds of millions of dollars to comply with federal government orders to
build new sewers and repair old ones.
Water Works, which serves the city, most of Hamilton County and parts of
several other counties, has increased rates at a slower pace than MSD. But
water rates still are up 71 percent since 2000.
Officials say another factor pushing up rates is a slow but steady decline in the
amount of water used, thanks to higher-efficiency appliances, less
manufacturing and more aggressive conservation efforts.
Using less water saves individual homeowners money and may be good for
the environment, but it also means Water Works has less revenue coming in.
That means there isn’t as much money to pay expenses that don’t change
much even if residents are watering the lawn and washing the car less
often.(Cincinnati Enquire)
April 2002
Water Bill $49.50/26.55ccf
Sewer Bill $74.58/26.55ccf
Total
$1.86/ccf
$2.81/ccf
$4.67/ccf
April 2012
Water Bill $75.64/21.35ccf
$3.54/ccf
Sewer Bill $161.01/21.35ccf
$7.54/ccf
Total
$11.08/ccf
237% Increase
How We Bill(Greater Cincinnati Water works)
Most of our customers are billed quarterly (once every 3 months). Some of
our new service areas are billed monthly, as are our large users such as
industrial plants and apartment complexes.The bill includes a charge for the
amount of water used, plus a service charge based on the size of the meter.
Your bill shows the previous and current meter reading dates and the amount
of water used in that period. Usage is billed in hundreds of cubic feet (CCF).
One CCF is equal to 748 gallons of water.
How are sewer charges calculated when I am watering my lawn or filling
my pool?
If you live in Hamilton County, the Metropolitan Sewer District bills sewage on
one- and two-family residential homes according to how much water they use
in their winter billing period (the billing period that ends with the meter
reading in February, March or April). For the rest of that year, if you use more
water than what you used in the winter quarter, GCWW will only bill sewage
up to the amount that was used in your winter quarter. See City of Mason's
2011 rates
2012 Rates
If the rates continue to rise at this percentage in five years standard bill for
900 cft of sewer will be $150 Compaired to $99.47 for 2012. The price per ccf
will be $7.48. So my bill for sewer today is $161, my bill for sewer in 5 years
will be $239.76. Just for sewer!
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