Recent water and sewer bills reflect new rates

Bills for third-quarter water and sewer usage mailed out last week include increased water and sewer rates that began on July 1.

There was a delay in sending water and sewer bills this quarter due to a meter reading equipment issue. To resolve the problem, the City had to locate and purchase a replacement meter reading device for older meters, which delayed bills being mailed out to customers. 

The fiscal year 2021 budget approved by the City Council on May 14 included an increase to both sewer and water rates. The water rate increased to $5.54 per unit, a 2.6 percent increase. The sewer rate increased to $9.47 per unit, a 4.6 percent increase. One billing unit is equal to 748 gallons, or 100 cubic feet.

While the billing period is from July 1 to Sept. 30, the utility reading dates for customers will vary. The water and sewer billing department’s goal is to take the first reading in early June and have the next reading by the end of September. Depending on the date of the readings, the billing window may be longer than previous billing cycles. Read dates for each billing cycle is located on the utility bill.

For instance, if the reading for water and sewer customers was between June 2 to Sept. 13, that’s a total of 103 days, 13 days longer than a typical 90-day billing cycle. The Community Services Department has made it a priority to switch out older water meters with new ones, which is expected to expedite meter readings.

While the City of Dover instituted an emergency outdoor water ban, it went into effect on Aug. 21. If the last meter reading was June 2, then 80 days of the 113-day billing cycle, or 71 percent, occurred before the water ban. Customers may have used more outdoor water than usual on gardens and lawns to make up for the lack of rainfall this summer before the water ban was enacted.

The water and sewer billing department encourage anyone who questions their water and sewer bill to call the department. Office staff can review each account, look at usage and compare it to historical use. Contact the water and sewer billing office at 516-6028.

Director of Community Services John Storer noted an increase of about $125,000 to the sewer budget due to increased costs to dispose of biosolids generated from the sewer system. The water budget increased by about $95,000 in FY 2021. Part of the increase is due to more water testing. The City of Dover has always tested its water to ensure it meets federal and state standards. In addition, the City of Dover has begun regular testing of its 11 production wells for unregulated, emerging contaminants, such as PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances). That cost is about $100,000 annually, Storer said.

Water leaks lead to higher bills

Historically, the number one cause of a high bill is a leaking toilet. You do not have to see or hear a leak to have one. One way to check for leaks is to check the little blue dial on the face of your meter. If that dial is slowly turning while no water is being used, then there is a high likelihood of a leak somewhere inside the home.

More ways to check for leaks:

• Check the overflow tube in the back of the toilet tank, and if there is water flowing over into it, you have an issue.
• Put food coloring into the back of the toilet tank. If that color shows up in the toilet bowl after 30 minutes, you have an issue.

The water and sewer department recommends homeowners spot check the reading on their meters to help alleviate the possibility of a high bill due to a leaking toilet or some other issue they are not aware of. They also recommend landlords check the meter readings on their rental properties at least once a month to keep an eye on a possible issue within the rental unit.