Utilities staff weigh irrigation‑meter installs versus rate adjustments to ease sewer charges

Jeremy Waugh, the county utilities presenter, explained that some single‑person and small households who irrigate with potable water can see disproportionate sewer charges because sewer billing caps sewer billing at 10,000 gallons for residential customers; irrigators using potable water raise water usage without contributing to sewer flows.

He presented two options: (1) adjust the historical rate formula—bases, caps and per‑thousand‑gallon charges—to shift sewer cost burden more equitably, which would not increase the utility’s asset footprint; or (2) create a potable irrigation‑meter program that physically separates lawn irrigation from sewer‑billed water but would require new capital and ongoing operations. "At a $3,000 cost... it would be a 6 year payback per meter installed in the system," Jeremy said, noting the administrative, billing and staffing impacts of adding up to a 10% meter footprint if many customers enroll. He proposed returning this winter with AMI‑driven analytics that can identify household usage patterns and a refined recommendation in the upcoming rate study.