Eagle Mountain residents will notice changes on their utility bills as part of the City’s new sewer rate structure.
Alongside the familiar sewer base fee, a sewer usage fee will now be included.
The base fee, which was recently adjusted in line with residents’ water meter sizes, took effect last month. This month, the newly implemented sewer usage fee will be applied, based on each household’s average water consumption during the winter months (December, January, and February).
This period, known as the Winter Average, is used because it excludes outdoor watering, which typically inflates water usage.
The rate for the sewer usage is set at $4.51 per 1,000 gallons of water used.
Residents’ Winter Average will be recalculated annually and will affect their July billing cycle moving forward.
As part of the City’s transition to this new fee structure, some households have been identified with unusually high winter averages. For the first year of the new rates, the City has capped the Winter Average at 10,000 gallons to give residents time to address any potential water usage issues.
Those who are affected by this cap will receive a letter informing them of the adjustment.
To offer a clearer understanding of the new charges, here’s an example of what the sewer costs will look like for a resident with a Winter Average of 10,000 gallons:
- Sewer Base Fee: $34.72
- Sewer Usage Fee: $45.10
- Total: $79.82 (compared to the old rate of $46.89)
Residents will be able to easily calculate their new sewer rate by using the Sewer Rate Calculator available on the Eagle Mountain City website by Tuesday, Sept. 10. By entering their Winter Average water usage, they can estimate their monthly sewer costs under the new billing structure.
This update is part of the City’s efforts to ensure billing based on actual water consumption, while giving residents time to adjust their usage if necessary.
