Our fine city council voted in something called the MDUS which is short for the Municiple Drainage Utility System. What this did was raise our water usage rate times 3, if you are a residential property. Woe unto you if you are commercial.
I have an in ground pool and my bride is a Texas master gardener. Our yard is heavily landscaped and with the drought, we can either water our plants, or let thousands of dollars worth of plants and labor succumb to the heat. We are choosing to add water to our pool and keep our yard alive.
July's water bill is $395. I think the highest water bill I've ever paid was about $170. This MDUS is killing those of us with pools, gardens, and landscaping. Last month's was $337 and according to Bob Leiper, we will get yet another increase in October. Good job City Hall.
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2 comments:
Bert, I feel your pain but it is consumption, not rate increases that are driving your bill. In June 2010 you used 22,000 gallons (obviously another dry month) and your bill was $140 (water only). Based on the January 1, 2011 rate increase of 5.85%, your bill today would be around $148. Your 15,000 gallon bill for water before the rate increase was $83.80 and after the rate increase was 88.69.
In June 2011 you used 39,000 gallons. That is why the water portion of your July bill is $311. You used 33,000 gallons the previous month and 28,000 gallons the month before that. Your usage increases have pretty well tracked the drought. You may want to consider an irrigation meter to avoid the sewer change for that type of usage, although residential properties do not pay sewer changes above 12,000 a month. As an example, my “regular” meter used 6,000 gallons last month, my normal usage when my daughter is home from school. My irrigation meter, however, used 19,000 gallons. It saved me paying 6,000 gallons of sewer that month which adds up over time. It does take a while to recover the installation costs. I have had mine several years and feel like I have earned back all the I spent.
Your MDUS (storm water) fee has nothing to do with pools, gardens or landscaping. The MDUS for ALL residential went from $0.68 per month to $1.50 or an additional 82 cents. It is a single, fixed fee unaffected by usage.
I’m sorry your bills are so high but it is really the weather to blame rather than the City. Please let me know if I can provide any other information.
Bob Leiper
City Manager
City of Baytown
It's still RIDICULOUS we have to pay that much for water.
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