Winter water use affects summertime bills

The amount of water used in your household in December, January and February will have a profound impact on your water bill the following 12 months, including the hot, dry summertime when water usage – and water bills – peak.

Under El Paso Water Utilities' conservation rate structure, the more water a customer uses, the more expensive it gets. The tiered billing system is broken into three blocks, each of which is based on average winter consumption which is calculated in December, January and February.

Curious about what your average winter consumption is? We list it on the bill we mail to you each month.

Now, a quick vocabulary lesson. Just like gasoline or potato chips, you buy water by volume, not by weight. Therefore, we measure consumption in units called Ccfs. The first "C" is the Roman numeral that represents 100; "cf" stands for cubic feet. So, 1 Ccf is equal to 100 cubic feet of water, or 748 gallons.

Here's how it all relates to your bill:

• Minimum Monthly Charge: Residential customers using up to 4 Ccfs – 400 cubic feet – of water in a billing period will pay a minimum monthly bill of $4.79.
• Block 1: Customers using between 4 Ccfs and 150 percent of their average winter consumption will pay $1.45 per Ccf for the additional water.
• Block 2: Water use between 150 and 250 percent of average winter consumption is billed at $3.40 per Ccf.
• Block 3: Customers are billed $4.87 per Ccf for water use that exceeds 250 percent of their average winter consumption in addition to their minimum monthly charge and charges for water consumed in Blocks 1 and 2.

Sewer rates are also based on average winter consumption. In addition to a monthly minimum charge for sewer, customers will be billed for sewerage of 90 percent of their average winter water consumption for the following 12 months.

Admittedly, it's a complicated rate structure. However, the best way to fight against the complication is conservation. If you use water-efficient fixtures, water plants and turf only when needed and make sure your home is leak-free, you're likely to never go beyond Block 1 – even in the heat of the summer. However, if you are a big water user or a careless water-waster your bill is likely to jump into Blocks 2 and 3.

Year-round water conservation is the best way to keep your bill small and our water resources healthy for generations to come.