Author Topic: Negative water bill  (Read 3920 times)

jpdx

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Negative water bill
« on: November 04, 2019, 01:09:20 AM »
Disgusted at paying over $1000/year for water, sewer, and stormwater, we decided to take the following steps:

1) Manage stormwater ourselves. Our city provides a slight discount to partially manage stormwater on our property, as apposed to sending downspout water directly into the street. This required some sweat equity (digging, laying pipe) and investing some money on river rock and landscaping. The result is a big improvement that pays for itself.

2) New toilet. Our city provides a $100 credit to upgrade to a WaterSense toilet and recycle the old water hog.

3) Low-income discount. I was surprised to see our family qualified for this significant discount.

4) Conservation. Each family member typically showers every other day, and we only flush urine after two or more people have contributed.

Now our water bill is negative $96 and I project we will not need to pay our water bill for the next year or two. I hope this inspires some readers to save some water and money!

Linea_Norway

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Re: Negative water bill
« Reply #1 on: November 04, 2019, 07:36:00 AM »
Disgusted at paying over $1000/year for water, sewer, and stormwater, we decided to take the following steps:

1) Manage stormwater ourselves. Our city provides a slight discount to partially manage stormwater on our property, as apposed to sending downspout water directly into the street. This required some sweat equity (digging, laying pipe) and investing some money on river rock and landscaping. The result is a big improvement that pays for itself.

2) New toilet. Our city provides a $100 credit to upgrade to a WaterSense toilet and recycle the old water hog.

3) Low-income discount. I was surprised to see our family qualified for this significant discount.

4) Conservation. Each family member typically showers every other day, and we only flush urine after two or more people have contributed.

Now our water bill is negative $96 and I project we will not need to pay our water bill for the next year or two. I hope this inspires some readers to save some water and money!

Congrats.

Two more shower tips, in case you don't do them already. When washing your hair, turn off the shower while you are soaping your hair. And if it takes a while for your shower to give warm water, then catch the cold water in a bucket to flush the toilet with.

LovinPSDs

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Re: Negative water bill
« Reply #2 on: November 06, 2019, 02:36:16 PM »
Did I miss how the bill went negative?  Seems there is conservation in there, but where is the negative (Or credit) coming from?? 

Either way, nice work!

Linea_Norway

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Re: Negative water bill
« Reply #3 on: November 07, 2019, 12:57:39 AM »
Did I miss how the bill went negative?  Seems there is conservation in there, but where is the negative (Or credit) coming from?? 

Either way, nice work!

I think his or her provider sends an estimation bill ahead of time, based on last year's usage. The OP probably paid ahead last year and then started to use a lot less than expected. Then the new bills are negative until the amount that was paid ahead is used up.

Brother Esau

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Re: Negative water bill
« Reply #4 on: November 07, 2019, 05:16:36 AM »
How does one get billed for storm water?

jpdx

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Re: Negative water bill
« Reply #5 on: November 08, 2019, 10:49:17 PM »
Stormwater is billed as a flat fee, in contrast to the sanitary sewer portion which is billed based based on your water consumption.

Plina

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Re: Negative water bill
« Reply #6 on: November 17, 2019, 01:33:29 AM »
I installed this https://www.alteredcompany.com/ in my kitchen sink and saw a reduction in my water usage. Unfortunately I also cut my hair short at the same time and therefore reduced my time in the shower so I can’t tell how much of it was due to the nozzle and how much was due to reduced time in the shower but my waterusage was half of the normal afterwards everything else the same.

Buffaloski Boris

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Re: Negative water bill
« Reply #7 on: November 18, 2019, 06:56:45 PM »
Rain barrels are a big thing here. Reduce runoff. And since you’re essentially billed for every gallon of city water twice (water and sewer based on water consumption), it does save you some money.

Linea_Norway

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Re: Negative water bill
« Reply #8 on: November 19, 2019, 01:25:39 AM »
Rain barrels are a big thing here. Reduce runoff. And since you’re essentially billed for every gallon of city water twice (water and sewer based on water consumption), it does save you some money.

I think my community only measures the water we use, and uses that same amount for the sewage bill. I guess a rain barrel could provide water the plants and for a car wash or windows wash. Even toilet flush.

Proud Foot

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Re: Negative water bill
« Reply #9 on: November 21, 2019, 02:28:35 PM »
Disgusted at paying over $1000/year for water, sewer, and stormwater, we decided to take the following steps:

1) Manage stormwater ourselves. Our city provides a slight discount to partially manage stormwater on our property, as apposed to sending downspout water directly into the street. This required some sweat equity (digging, laying pipe) and investing some money on river rock and landscaping. The result is a big improvement that pays for itself.

2) New toilet. Our city provides a $100 credit to upgrade to a WaterSense toilet and recycle the old water hog.

3) Low-income discount. I was surprised to see our family qualified for this significant discount.

4) Conservation. Each family member typically showers every other day, and we only flush urine after two or more people have contributed.

Now our water bill is negative $96 and I project we will not need to pay our water bill for the next year or two. I hope this inspires some readers to save some water and money!

Great job with the conservation efforts and digging into your bill to see what discounts you qualify for! How do you project not having to pay for the next year or two?

jpdx

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Re: Negative water bill
« Reply #10 on: November 22, 2019, 11:58:01 PM »
I currently have a $96 credit on my water account, and with every bill a small portion of that credit gets used up.

Proud Foot

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Re: Negative water bill
« Reply #11 on: November 25, 2019, 09:51:06 AM »
I currently have a $96 credit on my water account, and with every bill a small portion of that credit gets used up.

Makes sense. I looked at the details of my bill since my water, sewer, and electric all come on the same bill and my water is a lot less of the total than I thought.

meatgrinder

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Re: Negative water bill
« Reply #12 on: November 27, 2019, 02:46:04 PM »
If its yellow let it mellow. If its brown...

Mr. Green

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Re: Negative water bill
« Reply #13 on: December 03, 2019, 09:41:38 PM »
This is pretty awesome. We don't do nearly enough to conserve water, considering how much of a problem it's going to become over the next 50-100 years.