How Is Water & Sewer Use Measured?

[MandoMan]

How is water and sewer use measured by The Villages Community Development Districts? I’m asking not to complain, as I don’t think the cost is unreasonable, but because it confuses me. Below is a copy of my monthly bill. It says my water use was 12,480 gallons and my sewage use was also 12,480. On the left is a graph of my usage in the past year.

My house was unoccupied last year from May until the last week of October. I live alone. I take one five minute shower a day, turn off the water while brushing my teeth, and do two partial loads of wash per week. I have an automatic sprinkler system for my yard that I’ve never touched. I have a swimming pool that sometimes gets water added because of evaporation, but since January much less water has been added because I had an insulated pool cover installed. This seems to have made no difference in my water usage. I’m not sure why an unoccupied house uses more irrigation water some months than others when the controls haven’t been changed.

What about sewage? It looks like at least 90% of my water used either soaks into the sand beneath my grass or evaporates. It doesn’t use the sewers at all! I’ve been outside while the sprinklers run, and I’ve never seen any water running into a sewer. My personal water use is a brief shower, a few dishes, and a dozen or so toilet flushes, plus weekly wash. So how is my sewer use 12,480 gallons? I doubt that I add more than 1,500 gallons to the sewer in a month.

Is the charge for sewer use simply based on gallons of water used despite the fact that most doesn’t go into the sewer? Is there a meter that confirms that I have added 12,480 gallons of water to the sewer? (Of course there isn’t!) Do people with no lawn and only gravel have much lower water usage and so much lower sewer use charges, even though they may be adding just as much to the sewer as houses with lawns? Do houses with two or more occupants who are probably adding twice as much to the sewer system pay double? Would it be more appropriate for the cost for sewer to be divided equally according to occupants without claiming a sewer use that is certainly not supported by evidence?

[dewilson58]

Where do you live?? Some places, house water is sprinkler water.

[rjm1cc]

The costs of the sewerage treatment has to be spread out to the users some how. Some jurisdictions cap the number of gallons for sewerage at say 5,000. This helps with the cost of water for the grass but then you sewerage cost per gallon has to be higher because you have the same total costs to spread over fewer gallons. By the way manually control your sprinkler and you will use less water.

[Dond1959]

Sewer usage is based on water usage. The theory is one person will use less water than two people and therefore use less sewage. This is a typical way to charge based on other places I have lived.

[Bogie Shooter]

Lot of info here.
VCDD Utilities/Amenities (https://districtgov.org/departments/Utilities/utilities.aspx)

[dewilson58]

Sewer usage is based on water usage.

Not in all locations.

[retiredguy123]

Here is a link that shows all of the rates for the different areas.

Utilities - Rate Information (https://www.districtgov.org/departments/utilities/rate_information.aspx)

[tuccillo]

You live in a part of The Villages that does not have separate meters for indoor water and irrigation water. The majority of your water is for irrigation. The bad news is you are paying sewage for irrigation water. The good news is the sewage charges appear to be capped at 10,000 gallons.

How is water and sewer use measured by The Villages Community Development Districts? I’m asking not to complain, as I don’t think the cost is unreasonable, but because it confuses me. Below is a copy of my monthly bill. It says my water use was 12,480 gallons and my sewage use was also 12,480. On the left is a graph of my usage in the past year.

My house was unoccupied last year from May until the last week of October. I live alone. I take one five minute shower a day, turn off the water while brushing my teeth, and do two partial loads of wash per week. I have an automatic sprinkler system for my yard that I’ve never touched. I have a swimming pool that sometimes gets water added because of evaporation, but since January much less water has been added because I had an insulated pool cover installed. This seems to have made no difference in my water usage. I’m not sure why an unoccupied house uses more irrigation water some months than others when the controls haven’t been changed.

What about sewage? It looks like at least 90% of my water used either soaks into the sand beneath my grass or evaporates. It doesn’t use the sewers at all! I’ve been outside while the sprinklers run, and I’ve never seen any water running into a sewer. My personal water use is a brief shower, a few dishes, and a dozen or so toilet flushes, plus weekly wash. So how is my sewer use 12,480 gallons? I doubt that I add more than 1,500 gallons to the sewer in a month.

Is the charge for sewer use simply based on gallons of water used despite the fact that most doesn’t go into the sewer? Is there a meter that confirms that I have added 12,480 gallons of water to the sewer? (Of course there isn’t!) Do people with no lawn and only gravel have much lower water usage and so much lower sewer use charges, even though they may be adding just as much to the sewer as houses with lawns? Do houses with two or more occupants who are probably adding twice as much to the sewer system pay double? Would it be more appropriate for the cost for sewer to be divided equally according to occupants without claiming a sewer use that is certainly not supported by evidence?

[Dond1959]

Not in all locations.

In the posters specific case it is calculated that way as shown on his bill.

[jebartle]

I feel your pain, our spa WAS using $100 power per month.

[thevillages2013]

How is water and sewer use measured by The Villages Community Development Districts? I’m asking not to complain, as I don’t think the cost is unreasonable, but because it confuses me. Below is a copy of my monthly bill. It says my water use was 12,480 gallons and my sewage use was also 12,480. On the left is a graph of my usage in the past year.

My house was unoccupied last year from May until the last week of October. I live alone. I take one five minute shower a day, turn off the water while brushing my teeth, and do two partial loads of wash per week. I have an automatic sprinkler system for my yard that I’ve never touched. I have a swimming pool that sometimes gets water added because of evaporation, but since January much less water has been added because I had an insulated pool cover installed. This seems to have made no difference in my water usage. I’m not sure why an unoccupied house uses more irrigation water some months than others when the controls haven’t been changed.

What about sewage? It looks like at least 90% of my water used either soaks into the sand beneath my grass or evaporates. It doesn’t use the sewers at all! I’ve been outside while the sprinklers run, and I’ve never seen any water running into a sewer. My personal water use is a brief shower, a few dishes, and a dozen or so toilet flushes, plus weekly wash. So how is my sewer use 12,480 gallons? I doubt that I add more than 1,500 gallons to the sewer in a month.

Is the charge for sewer use simply based on gallons of water used despite the fact that most doesn’t go into the sewer? Is there a meter that confirms that I have added 12,480 gallons of water to the sewer? (Of course there isn’t!) Do people with no lawn and only gravel have much lower water usage and so much lower sewer use charges, even though they may be adding just as much to the sewer as houses with lawns? Do houses with two or more occupants who are probably adding twice as much to the sewer system pay double? Would it be more appropriate for the cost for sewer to be divided equally according to occupants without claiming a sewer use that is certainly not supported by evidence?

You have no separate charge for irrigation like most of the Villages. I had a villa in Calumet grove and that is the way the bill looked. You admitted that you haven’t adjusted the irrigation settings at all so that is where you need to start. Also your rain sensor (if you have one) may be malfunctioning and allowing your irrigation to run after a good rain instead of shutting it off. Look at the run times on each zone and reduce them

[Bill14564]

I live in an area where irrigation water and drinking water are metered separately. I used about as much water as you did: about 1,300 for drinking and 11,300 for irrigation. It looks like my sewer charge is a little less than yours but my water charge is a bit more. The totals on our bills are very close to the same.

I know my usage has been consistent for the past three years so either we're both about right or I've been wasting water for a while. My usage drops more than yours in Dec, Jan, and Feb - there might be an adjustment you could make on your sprinkler system to account for the winter months.

As others have pointed out, sewer usage is determined by water usage. If you only have a single meter there is no way to know how much went onto your lawn and how much went down the drain. Your sewer rate is lower than mine and that is probably because they know that the bulk of your water goes onto the lawn.

[retiredguy123]

I live in an area where irrigation water and drinking water are metered separately. I used about as much water as you did: about 1,300 for drinking and 11,300 for irrigation. It looks like my sewer charge is a little less than yours but my water charge is a bit more. The totals on our bills are very close to the same.

I know my usage has been consistent for the past three years so either we're both about right or I've been wasting water for a while. My usage drops more than yours in Dec, Jan, and Feb - there might be an adjustment you could make on your sprinkler system to account for the winter months.

As others have pointed out, sewer usage is determined by water usage. If you only have a single meter there is no way to know how much went onto your lawn and how much went down the drain. Your sewer rate is lower than mine and that is probably because they know that the bulk of your water goes onto the lawn.
I use about the same as you do for drinking water, but only about 2500 gallons for irrigation. You may want reduce your watering times and see what happens. I went from 30 minutes per zone to about 5-10 minutes and didn't notice any difference in my lawn and shrubs. You can also view your neighbors' water bills online at districtgov.org to see how your usage compares to similar lawns.

[sallyg]

We have had a similar experience. Gone for months at a time and same usage as when we are home. Once we turned off our sprinklers in August. It rained every day so it wasn't needed. Still the same usage. If there is a small $10 overcharge for 60,000 homes every month...

[Petersweeney]

I remember when water was free.

[MandoMan]

Where do you live?? Some places, house water is sprinkler water.

North of 466.
“ Home Irrigation:

North of CR 466, homes are irrigated with potable water.
South of CR 466, homes are irrigated with non-potable water which is comprised of storm water runoff that is collected in water retention areas and groundwater from the lower Floridan aquifer when storm water supplies are not available.”

[HJBeck]

It looks like all your irrigation is being done by potable water. That gets expensive because sewer charges are based on potable water usage and costs about twice as much as the potable water itself. Your house uses recycled pond/lake water and does not add to sewer charges. 12,000 gallons is a lot. Might get one to check your automatic sprinkler system and it’s water system timing.

[Bill14564]

I use about the same as you do for drinking water, but only about 2500 gallons for irrigation. You may want reduce your watering times and see what happens. I went from 30 minutes per zone to about 5-10 minutes and didn't notice any difference in my lawn and shrubs. You can also view your neighbors' water bills online at districtgov.org to see how your usage compares to similar lawns.

That's a good idea. Thank you.

[hal195z]

12,000 gallons of water per month is a lot of water. You may have a leaking toilet that is constantly using water. I have a 3 bath home with a pool and normally use around 6,000 gallons/month. Check you irrigation times and schedule. Twice a week with 30 minutes per zone is sufficient and no irrigation when it rains.

[OhioBuckeye]

I feel your pain, our spa WAS using $100 power per month.

When you have luxury’s you pay for it & nobody thinks luxury’s cost that much. This is only a start, things are going to get a lot worse! Just live a simple life, but I do feel bad for this person!

[ccrider]

You are confusing two different processes. Storm drainage is the water from rainfall that runs into the streets, into underground pipes, and generally end up in the ponds on the golf courses. This is the irrigation water that you pay for. Has nothing to do with the water you use in your home. The home-use water (called potable water); showers, toilet flushes, etc., also goes into separate underground pipes. These pipes are called sewers, the stuff in the pipes is called sewerage, and it all goes to water treatment facilities located throughout the Villages. You pay a base price for this water, and then another price based on the amount of water that you use. You also pay a base price for sewerage, plus a price based on the amount of water that you use. My house has separate meters for irrigation and potable water. Hope this helps someone.

[SGR720]

How is water and sewer use measured by The Villages Community Development Districts? I’m asking not to complain, as I don’t think the cost is unreasonable, but because it confuses me. Below is a copy of my monthly bill. It says my water use was 12,480 gallons and my sewage use was also 12,480. On the left is a graph of my usage in the past year.

My house was unoccupied last year from May until the last week of October. I live alone. I take one five minute shower a day, turn off the water while brushing my teeth, and do two partial loads of wash per week. I have an automatic sprinkler system for my yard that I’ve never touched. I have a swimming pool that sometimes gets water added because of evaporation, but since January much less water has been added because I had an insulated pool cover installed. This seems to have made no difference in my water usage. I’m not sure why an unoccupied house uses more irrigation water some months than others when the controls haven’t been changed.

What about sewage? It looks like at least 90% of my water used either soaks into the sand beneath my grass or evaporates. It doesn’t use the sewers at all! I’ve been outside while the sprinklers run, and I’ve never seen any water running into a sewer. My personal water use is a brief shower, a few dishes, and a dozen or so toilet flushes, plus weekly wash. So how is my sewer use 12,480 gallons? I doubt that I add more than 1,500 gallons to the sewer in a month.

Is the charge for sewer use simply based on gallons of water used despite the fact that most doesn’t go into the sewer? Is there a meter that confirms that I have added 12,480 gallons of water to the sewer? (Of course there isn’t!) Do people with no lawn and only gravel have much lower water usage and so much lower sewer use charges, even though they may be adding just as much to the sewer as houses with lawns? Do houses with two or more occupants who are probably adding twice as much to the sewer system pay double? Would it be more appropriate for the cost for sewer to be divided equally according to occupants without claiming a sewer use that is certainly not supported by evidence?

I would have someone check out your irrigation system that water usage seems very high. In my 19 years here my water usage has only exceeded 10,000 gals twice and that was due to my irrigation system running 2 programs twice a week. Even when there were two of us in the house our water usage averaged below 6,000 gals a month. Consistent usage above 12,000 even when house was empty seems unusual. My bill this month gave "www.thevillageswaterwisdom.com" as a site to evaluate water usage based on your home type, you might want to check that out also.