Winter seems to have come quickly this year!  It’s already the middle of November and wastewater averaging (WWA) is upon us.  What is wastewater averaging, you ask?  Well, let me tell you…

In the winter months (November, December, January, and February) the City assumes that our water usage is lower than any other time of year, simply because it’s cold out, its winter, we’re not watering our yards.  These are the months when water consumption is low, so the City uses these 3 billing cycles (Nov-Dec, Dec-Jan, Jan-Feb) to determine how much we’re going to be charged for waste water for the rest of the year.  See, the City has no meters on the waste water line; essentially the City makes an educated assumption that all water being used is going down the drains at our houses.  Since no water is being used outdoors (right?  Turn off those sprinkler systems!), then the theory is that all water is being used indoors, for necessary purposes-baths, showers, toilets, sinks, dish and clothes washers, etc.

The average of those months water use is what you are charged for waste water for the remainder of the year.  So, for example, if you use 5400 gallons on your Dec bill, 4900 on January bill, and 4500 on February bill then your WWA would be 5400 + 4900 + 4500 / 3 = 4933, which would be rounded to 4900 gallons.  So, for the rest of the year, the most you’ll be charged for waste water is 4900 gallons!  That’s good!  No matter if your water use goes higher in the summer; the waste water use is capped at 4900 gallons.

This is a number that is recalculated annually, so if you “mess up” and refill your pool or keep watering that yard the whole winter, you can fix it the next year by keeping the water use down.  So again, turn off those sprinklers!

Another way to keep water use low in winter is to check for leaks, especially in your toilets.  Watch my latest video on how to check for leaks and check your toilet to see if it’s efficient.  What I say in the video is that toilets using 1.6 gallons per flush (gpf) or less are considered efficient.  I want to add to that a little, by saying that on January 1, 2014, it became state law that all toilets sold in Texas must use 1.28 gallons per flush OR LESS.  So that means, even if you have a 1.6 gpf toilet, you can make it even more efficient, and save more water each time you flush (and reduce those waste water charges further) by upgrading to a new 1.28 gpf toilet!  The City’s water conservation program’s has a rebate program for this upgrade.  Find the details at www.roundrocktexas.gov/waterconservation.