The sewage plant raised their rates because we (the consumer) are being too efficient. They claim that they now have to buy extra water to make the plant run properly. “Anything excuse to make an extra buck, I say”.
Ever since the government mandated water efficient appliances, I pay more in sewage bills now.
Nearly half the water savings will come from more efficient washing machines, about 25 per cent from showers and 22 per cent from toilets.
So where’s the logic here?
Well just think what you’d be paying right now if you had the old toilet that wasted all that water…
This is simply supply and demand, and they are going to get as much money as they can from you. Unfortunate, but a fact of life. At least you’ll know that you’re doing your part to not waste so much water. I doubt that anyone has had to purchase water to make there machinery run smoother. And even if that were the case, it wouldn’t be all that much. If you’re really up in arms about it, organize a demonstration to protest those b*stards!
back in the days of Nixon and the oil embargo, we were all told to lower the thermostats to 68 degrees to save energy; turn off the lights and appliances that were not needed at that precise moment.
The problem: utility companies had overhead for equipment, maintenance, and fuel costs and weren’t getting enough income to cover their costs, nor pay dividends to the stockholders.
The solution: The utilities raised the prices, so that if one didn’t conserve, their bill would be through the roof.
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It was about this same time that places like Home Club started promoting DIY as a means to save money paying some contractor to come out and do what you could viably do yourself-
The problem now, is if you don’t do it yourself, you’ll be pretty much stuck. Some contractors want to retire just after they finish your job.
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As for your question, there is no logic. The sewage plant, water works, and public works (water treatment, storm drains, and sewer pipe), are mostly funded by taxes- property taxes and utility bills. they have over-extended theirselves with equipment and personnel, salaries, trucks, and subcontracts, and with the shortfall due to real estate implosions, the only way they can keep the fiasco working is to stick it to the consumer.
Though they have to mandate that everyone conserve water, via the feds, state, county, and city government, none of these work for profit, and so when everything is working as planned, the user still gets the shaft and the bill.
As for ‘watersaving’ toilets, they tend to use more water than the previous style, because most require 2 flushes to get crap down the pipe. Figure it out: old toilet 2 1/2 gallons. new toilet 1.6 gallons times 2 = 3.2 gallons.
If you’re on a water and sewer line (as opposed to a septic tank and a well), you not only pay for the water you receive through a meter, you also pay a sewer fee (figured out by some obscene logarithm) based on how much water goes in to your property. even if some goes to the garden plot, even that has a sewer fee attached.
This is how things have progressed in the past 30 years:
first it was what am I going to have to park to pay for college or trade school?
Then it was, Am i going to have to take the bus to work and park the car in oder to pay the power bill?
Do I want to drive, or should I park the car to be able to buy groceries or a new computer.
then it was (still is) how am I going to get to work? I don’t have enough money to fill the tank, don’t have enough people in my neighborhood that could carpool with me to work, and the bus stop is at least 7 miles way, and if I leave my car parked there all day, it might be vandalized.
Now it’s I have enough money for gas, for food, but my house going into foreclosure, and I’m looking for an insulated box to live in. My employment is precarious, and soon, if some guy doesn’t start forking over enough money to keep the sewer plant operating, I’ll be out of a job.