Anthem water bills (Phoenix, Page: homes, landscaping, utilities)

[Usa450r]

I have heard horror stories about $300 - $400 water bills in Anthem. Something about an older bond getting paid off is increasing or something to this effect. Is this true? Are the water bills like this all over Anthem or just east of I17?

[Wally Sconce]

Originally Posted by Usa450r

I have heard horror stories about $300 - $400 water bills in Anthem. Something about an older bond getting paid off is increasing or something to this effect. Is this true? Are the water bills like this all over Anthem or just east of I17?

Just east of the I17, west is part of Phoenix. Don't know if 3 or 4 hundred is an exaggeration though. East utilities are handled by EPCOR http://www.epcor.com/bill/Pages/bill.aspx all the way from Edmonton Alberta...lol

[Usa450r]

Thx I just found this too. Maybe the $300 or $400 is a little internet white lie......if you live in Anthem on the east side of 17 what is your water bill like a month?

EPCOR is the private water company that provides the water and sewer service to homes in Anthem on the East side of I-17. Homes in Anthem located on the West side of I-17 get their water service from the City of Phoenix. The water bills are higher for the homes on the East side of I-17. You can visit EPCOR.com for more information.

[Usa450r]

Wow, this is a big monthly difference

"I recently moved from the east side of Anthem to the west side. On the east side, both water and trash were with private companies, my average total bills were about $230 per month, my average on the west side is about $60 through City of Phoenix. It is a smaller yard as far as watering on the west side, but it's not that significant. My water bill did not vary too greatly based on high watering months compared to low months with EPCOR. They are extremely costly compared to City of Phoenix for like service."

[Zippyman]

The city of Phoenix is a hidden gem when it comes to value/services received.

We haven't (yet) allowed outside for-profit companies to come in and jack the rates/reduce the services offered to the public, though that is a constant drumbeat of certain council members.

This issue is one you should remember the next time you hear a politician (often grumbling about the wages of certain public employees) talking about privatizing essential services. Inserting a new layer of administration & management, along with a "reasonable" profit- costs more than owning & managing the facilities yourself. The city of Phoenix is able to hire people to perform some truly awful & physically-demanding work at well below "market" rates because those jobs offer pensions and job security unlike anything in the private sector, and the residents of Phoenix benefit from that greatly every time they get a water bill.

I haven't done any research, but I'd be surprised if any major (or minor) city in the US could offer water/sewer/trash & recycling + a free trip to the dump every month and hazardous waste collection for the $50-$60 /mo base rate that many Phoenicians pay.

[Az_Mitch]

I don't live in Anthem but I am an EPCOR customer in Verrado that has EPCOR service for both water and sewer. We worked with Anthem residents at the end of the last year to get our rates reduced for sewer by pushing a case through the Arizona Corporation Commission(ACC). My sewer and water rates are more expensive in Verrado than they are in Anthem. You can go to the link below and see the specific water and wastewater rates for Anthem.

EPCOR :: Rates & Tariffs

So much of this depends upon your usage. My bill last month was $140. I used about 9k gallons last month. I have almost about 1/3 of an acre lot with a grass front yard however once I fixed some irrigation leaks my bill hasn't been above $200. I have seen bills here in Verrado for $400-$500 but those people are using huge amounts of water.

Also, EPCOR will be filing a new rate case with the ACC in September to decide new sewer rates for all of their districts which could lead to a decrease in rates depending upon what they decide.

I can't speak to the trash rates.

[johnp292]

I live on the east side of Anthem. Our lowest monthly bill is about 105. In three years, our highest ever was 299. In the summer they are 225-250 usually.

We have a 2800sq ft house, about 1/3 acre with half the yard being grass and the other half being pool. 5 people including a teenage girl who likes to prune up in the shower.

Coming from the east coast, where our combined sewer and water bills were probably on average less than 120 a quarter, this kills me. But I get it that we live in the desert now.

The trash is about 117 every 6 months from Republic Services.

[observer53]

Originally Posted by johnp292

I live on the east side of Anthem. Our lowest monthly bill is about 105. In three years, our highest ever was 299. In the summer they are 225-250 usually.

We have a 2800sq ft house, about 1/3 acre with half the yard being grass and the other half being pool. 5 people including a teenage girl who likes to prune up in the shower.

Coming from the east coast, where our combined sewer and water bills were probably on average less than 120 a quarter, this kills me. But I get it that we live in the desert now.

The trash is about 117 every 6 months from Republic Services.

We are ALL living in the desert, and we are not paying what you are paying. It's the price you are paying for having a PRIVATE company providing the service.

[sandy6879]

Originally Posted by observer53

We are ALL living in the desert, and we are not paying what you are paying. It's the price you are paying for having a PRIVATE company providing the service.

I agree. I had no idea you were paying that much out there! I just sent that information to a friend of mine's parents who were looking at the Anthem area from out of state - that's a huge difference from what we pay, and I thought our rate was high.

[urbex]

Originally Posted by Az_Mitch

EPCOR :: Rates & Tariffs

So much of this depends upon your usage. My bill last month was $140. I used about 9k gallons last month. I have almost about 1/3 of an acre lot with a grass front yard however once I fixed some irrigation leaks my bill hasn't been above $200. I have seen bills here in Verrado for $400-$500 but those people are using huge amounts of water.

Just out of curiosity, what's the breakdown on that bill? I'm working on getting a place in Wittmann that also is served by Epcor, and judging from the sample bill, and rate sheets, that is posted on their website, I'm estimating monthly water bills to be around $25-$30 for myself. Granted, I'll be living alone, and won't have a yard to water (yay for desert landscaping! ), and also won't have a sewage charge as all the lots out there have septic.

But even still, going off the rate sheet posted for Anthem from your link, @9K gallons/month, the water portion of the bill is coming out around $50/month, and even accounting for the various extra taxes/fees/sewer, I was guesstimating your bill to be around $100/month.

It's not that I'm arguing your bill, as obviously you're looking at them every month, but rather that I want to be more prepared myself so I don't contract a case of sticker shock, so to speak, when I open that first bill myself, lol.