Wastewater Calculation FAQ

How has wastewater been calculated?
In previous years, and through 2007, wastewater amounts for the entire year have determined by averaging the amount of metered fresh water used during the two lowest months of December, January and February.

Why has Springs Utilities made a change?
The new methodology will benefit customers by more accurately determining the amount of wastewater going down each customer’s drains and toilets.

The new calculation method will provide a more accurate look at the actual amount of wastewater treated at our plants. This will help us more accurately plan for future operations.

How does the new method work?
The new method is based on two billing seasons:

1. Winter – December through February billing cycles
   The number of cubic feet billed each month for wastewater is equal to the number of cubic feet of water used during the month. Because most people do not use water for outdoor purposes during these months, this is an accurate way of determining how much wastewater is going down drains and toilets.
2. Summer – March through November billing cycles
   Wastewater units in the summer are equal to the average of the winter months or the actual water use for the month, whichever is less.

Our family will be out of town the entire month of January.  How will that affect my bill?
With no water use for a particular month, your commodity charge will be $0 for both water and wastewater. However, 33 average daily units (ADU) will be used for that month to calculate the winter average for wastewater billing in the summer months. If the actual summer month water use is lower than the winter average, then the lower amount will be billed.

What if I move to a new house in the spring or summer?
Customers moving to a new residence in the summer have no winter history available. During the summer months, they will therefore be billed for 33 ADU each month, or their actual water use, whichever is less.

How was the 33 ADU amount determined?
Typically, customers use up to 999 cubic feet of water per month (about 33 cf per day) for indoor use.  Therefore, this amount was established as the upper limit for indoor water use for the water tiered rate structure. 

Why is the calculation so complicated?
It is not feasible to put meters on wastewater flowing out of homes, and there is no exact way of determining how much wastewater goes down drains and toilets.

We have researched billing methods used by other wastewater utilities. Some utilities charge all customers the same flat fee for wastewater service. Some utilities use six winter months of fresh water use to determine wastewater units. Others tie wastewater units directly to water use year round. We don’t believe any of these methods accurately determines the amount of wastewater service used.

What makes the new method more accurate than the old method?
With just two months included in the average in the previous method, events such as your family going on vacation for a few weeks or having friends or family stay with you during that time can have a large impact on your billing units for the entire year. 

The new method averages three winter months to determine wastewater use. This will help level out the ups and downs of fresh water use to provide the most realistic view of wastewater service.

While there is no exact way to determine billing units, we believe the new billing method more closely reflects the actual amount of wastewater going down drains and toilets.

Will Colorado Springs Utilities collect more revenue due to new method?
No. The new method is designed to be revenue-neutral, meaning we will collect about the same revenue overall as with the previous method.

How will the change affect my bill?
As with other utility services, individual customer bills will depend largely on the amount of fresh water used. Most customers will not see a significant change in their overall bill due to this change. However, the change will result in a lower bill for some customers and a higher bill for others. If the amount of your metered water increased significantly from the compared period, your bill increase will be significant. If the amount of metered water decreased significantly, your bill amount would likewise decrease significantly.

Was there also an increase in the wastewater rate?
Yes, prices for natural gas and wastewater increased on Jan. 1, 2008. Typical wastewater customers using 800 cubic feet of water saw an increase of $2.19 to the wastewater portion of their bill. 

It's important to note the above comparison can only be used if your metered water amount stayed the same from the compared period. As with other utility services, the amount of water used is the largest factor in determining your bill.

When did the changes go into effect?
Springs Utilities began using the new calculation on Jan. 1, 2008.