Water Billing and Rates Analysis
The Metropolitan Council, in conjunction with CDM Smith consultants, undertook a project to collect and disseminate data regarding water costs and conservation programs in the seven-county metropolitan area, including:
• Evaluating all water rate structures of the communities in the seven-county metro area. The information on rates by community is correlated with community per capita values, peaking ratios, and other water use characteristics.
• Evaluating all water conservation programs in the communities in the seven-county metro area.
• Developing and analyzing water use characteristics by community and sector to determine trends in water use, including inter-community comparisons.
Basic characteristics of water usage for the aggregate of Twin Cities water suppliers were developed. Characteristics include:
• Percent of total water use by sector
• Percent of accounts by sector
• Average annual use (gpd/acct) by sector
• Total system per capita usage
• Residential per capita usage
• Percent non-revenue water (i.e., production minus billed volume)
• Trend in population served over time
• Trend in water production over time
• Trend in number of accounts over time
• Trend in billed usage over time
• Percent of water by source
• Monthly seasonality of production & metered usage
• Peak month to winter average ratio
• Average water bill for typical residential consumption (e.g., 6000 gallons per month)
• Marginal water rate for typical residential consumption (e.g., 6000 gallons per month)
• Ratio of top tier rate to first tier rate
(c) $1,000,000 the first year and $1,000,000 the second year are for metropolitan regional groundwater planning to achieve water supply reliability and sustainability, including determination of a sustainable regional balance of surface water and groundwater, a feasibility assessment of potential solutions to rebalance regional water use and identify potential solutions to address emerging subregional water supply issues such as the northeast metro, and development of an implementation plan that addresses regional targets and timelines and defines short- and medium-term milestones for achieving the desirable surface water and groundwater regional balance. By January 15, 2014, the commissioner shall submit an interim report on the expenditure of this appropriation to the chairs and ranking minority members of the house of representatives and senate committees and divisions with jurisdiction over environment and natural resources finance and policy and the clean water fund.
This project proposes to document and share information about the water rate structures of the communities in the seven-county metro area. The information on rates by community will be correlated with community per capita values, peaking ratios, and other water use characteristics. All water conservation programs in the communities in the seven-county metro area will be documented.
Final outcomes to be reported at project completion.
(c) $1,000,000 the first year and $1,000,000 the second year are for metropolitan regional groundwater planning to achieve water supply reliability and sustainability, including determination of a sustainable regional balance of surface water and groundwater, a feasibility assessment of potential solutions to rebalance regional water use and identify potential solutions to address emerging subregional water supply issues such as the northeast metro, and development of an implementation plan that addresses regional targets and timelines and defines short- and medium-term milestones for achieving the desirable surface water and groundwater regional balance. By January 15, 2014, the commissioner shall submit an interim report on the expenditure of this appropriation to the chairs and ranking minority members of the house of representatives and senate committees and divisions with jurisdiction over environment and natural resources finance and policy and the clean water fund.
See 2015 Fiscal Year Proposed Measurable Outcomes.
Basic characteristics of water rates and rate structures for municipal water suppliers were developed, including:
• Percent of total water use by sector
• Percent of accounts by sector
• Average annual use (gpd/acct) by sector
• Total system per capita usage
• Residential per capita usage
• Percent non-revenue water (i.e., production minus billed volume)
• Trend in population served over time
• Trend in water production over time
• Trend in number of accounts over time
• Trend in billed usage over time
• Percent of water by source
• Monthly seasonality of production & metered usage
• Peak month to winter average ratio
• Average water bill for typical residential consumption (8,000 gallons per month)
• Marginal water rate for typical residential consumption (8,000 gallons per month)
• Ratio of top tier rate to first tier rate
Groups of characteristics were correlated to identify relationships between and among the municipal water systems. The final report included sources of data, all data collected, and data gaps. Water use characteristics, billing rates, and rate structures are summarized and reported.