Rate Change Information
The Board of Directors recently voted to modify the rates charged for water service. The official notice that was mailed along with the water bills in late March can be downloaded by clicking the link at the bottom of this page. The new rate for water service will be charged for all water consumed after May 15, 2011. The new rates are illustrated in the examples below.
The portion of the water rates that have been changed are the monthly minimum and the water included with the minimum. The current rates for these items were established in 1986 and have not been changed since that time. We have increased the amount charged for the actual water used per 1,000 gallons from time to time in the past but the only portions of your bill that are being modified at this time are the monthly minimum and the first 2,000 gallons used. The monthly minimum is being increased from $12.00/month to $15.00/month and the first 2,000 gallons is no longer included with the minimum. This water will be billed at $3.50/1,000 gallons.
In a survey of neighboring water providers, we have found that even after the rates have been increased, Sardis is on average 15% lower on a bill for 10,000 gallons used and 21% lower on a bill for 30,000 gallons used. This comparison is only meant to give our members an idea of what other people are paying in the area. Each water system has its own unique challenges and expenses to overcome and water rates will differ from system to system. Additionally, there is an error on the notices that was mailed with the bills. The error has been corrected on the downloadable notice available at the bottom of this page. The amounts for City of Midlothian water bills for 10,000 and 30,000 gallons were computed incorrectly. We apologize for any confusion this may cause.
"It was a difficult decision to increase the water rates. All of us at Sardis strive to serve our members by providing the best possible service at the lowest possible cost. All money collected from our members goes to pay for the cost to provide the service. These costs include the normal expenses of electricity, equipment, employees, etc. but they also include the reinvestment back into the water system. Reinvestment items include upgrading small or outdated water mains and services, installing fire hydrants, adding back-up power generation, increasing system security, and many other items that help to increase our reliability and efficiency. We have been proactive in the past by identifying areas that need to be upgraded and then getting the job done. This will not change. Please call or e-mail me (paul@sardiswater.com) with any questions concerning the water rates, past or future improvement projects, or any other concern that you may have"....Paul Tischler, GM.
Water Rates and Bill Calculations
The Service Availability Charge, also referred to as the minimum monthly bill, is determined by the size of the water service. The overwhelming majority of the services on the system are standard residential services and they consist of a 5/8"x3/4" water meter. The rates for a standard residential service are as follows:
Monthly Minimum- $15.00
Water Included with Minimum Bill- zero gallons
Charges for water used is as follows:
Tier Charge/1,000 gallons
1-10,000 gallons $3.50
10,001-20,000 gallons $3.75
20,001-30,000 gallons $4.00
30,001-40,000 gallons $4.50
40,001-50,000 gallons $5.75
50,001-60,000 gallons $6.75
60,001-70,000 gallons $7.75
70,001-100,000 gallons $8.50
All above 100,000 gallons $9.50
Examples of Average Bills
2,000 gallons = $22.00
5,000 gallons = $32.50
10,000 gallons = $50.00
25,000 gallons = $107.50
30,000 gallons = $127.50
60,000 gallons = $297.50
75,000 gallons = $417.50
The average water bill during the off-peak months is for 7,000 gallons ($39.50).
The average water bill during peak or summer months is for 25,000 gallons ($107.50).
