$175.00 Quarterly Water Bill? (Baltimore: house, calculator, utilities)

[B.K.]

Since my wife's illness, I've taken over paying some of the bills. This week a statement arrived from the City with a bill for $175 for a three month service for water. I checked and last quarter's bill was about the same. She's just been paying it, forever.
This seems like a hell of a lot of money to me. Two people, small house, one bathroom; we don't water the yard or have a pool, and don't take long showers or do an inordinate amount of dishwashing or laundry. My brother has an enormous 5 bedroom/5 bath house in Atlanta, and says his water bill is around $150 every six months there. Is this truly the normal going rate for water within the City limits?

[cdmoore125]

That is the going rate in the City limits, yes. I pay around $145 quarterly, with 1 person.

[MrRational]

Originally Posted by B.K.

...with a bill for $175 for a three month service for water.

First... stop looking at the DOLLAR amount.
Look at the VOLUME amount (cubic feet).

Compare what they allege you have consumed this quarter
with what your old bills indicate you have consumed in prior quarters.
Go back several years. Compare with neighbors.

If there is a problem it will be about a faulty meter indicating high use...
or it will be about a broken pipe wasting what is flowing.

A usage calculator:
Residential Water Consumption Calculator - City of Bellingham

Is this truly the normal going rate for water within the City limits?

It seems rather high to me.
Of course you cold just be wasteful.

[Michael21214]

He's probably not being wasteful. There have been a couple of 20% increases over the past couple of years, plus added sewer charges.

The bill also shows average daily consumption in gallons, see if that sounds about right.

[MrRational]

Originally Posted by Michael21214

The bill also shows average daily consumption in gallons, see if that sounds about right.

But do so based on something more objective than just what "feels right".

There have been a couple of 20% increases over the past couple of years...

So? That's true everywhere.
The rates per CF or other fees are incidental to the volume Q.

F'rinstance... my current water use bill -8/15 to 10/13; 206CF- (@ .0525)... is $10.81
Plus Sewer Fee ($11.69); and the NC "Rain Tax" Fee ($9.00) it's still only $31.50
(btw, I'll admit that my consumption is at the miserly end of the scale)

[Michael21214]

Well send some of that cheap water up here then.

[cdmoore125]

There is a minimum charge, and it is very high. My usage is minimal, but it doesn't matter as they get the minimum customer charge. It is usually denoted with an asterisk or something like that on the bill. There is another thread about it.

[designer_genes]

I live in a rowhouse with one other person and our water bill was about $160 last quarter, so unfortunately that's normal.

[james777]

Originally Posted by Michael21214

Well send some of that cheap water up here then.

That cheap water is already up here. It is out in Baltimore County. It amazes me how Baltimore City and Baltimore County get their water from the same company, yet the bills are so much lower for the same usage in Baltimore County. However, NOTHING amazes me in Baltimore City.

[DistantSun]

I always pay the minimum or slightly more, the minimum being $116, which includes taxes that make up something like 40% of the bill. It's ridiculous. So I'm going to say that your bill is probably normal.