My first EBMUD bill is over $160. Is that normal?

[NoMoreSnowForMe]

Just FYI, a running toilet or leaky faucet can make your water bill skyrocket. Might want to check for any leaks or running toilets.

[BayAreaHillbilly]

Wow, it sure has gone up since I left the East Bay.

As noted the sewer charge is the real zinger.

I reckon it's due to crumbling infrastructure / old lines needing replacement.

[Ruth4Truth]

Originally Posted by BayAreaHillbilly

Wow, it sure has gone up since I left the East Bay.

As noted the sewer charge is the real zinger.

I reckon it's due to crumbling infrastructure / old lines needing replacement.

This is a serious issue in the East Bay. I wonder if that's what it's mainly about. AFAIK, there haven't been any reports of plans to finally begin replacing the sewer and water infrastructure.

[artemis78]

Originally Posted by Ruth4Truth

This is a serious issue in the East Bay. I wonder if that's what it's mainly about. AFAIK, there haven't been any reports of plans to finally begin replacing the sewer and water infrastructure.

Yes, this contributes to the cost of service, and yes, there are already plans and current projects to replace the infrastructure. (The sewer replacement work, which is shared by EBMUD, local cities, and private property owners, was mandated by the EPA in 2009.) You can find the full list of planned projects, along with a map showing where there is active work, on the EBMUD website. They also send periodic mailings to customers in the service area (though I appreciate that many people probably don't open these!)

EBMUD has its challenges, but they do post a great deal of information about all of their work and charges on their website. Here is the May/June 2017 summary of the proposed work that is contributing to the requested rate increase for 2017-2019: https://www.ebmud.com/customers/pipe...l-it-cost-you/