West Seattle Blog...

WSB Forum » Open Discussion

(72 posts)

anyone receive an extremely high sewer bill during past billing cycle?

Started 2 years ago by tigger
Latest reply from Smitty

12 Next »

tigger
Member Profile

My sewer bill doubled during the last billing cycle (Jan-Feb). I've lived in my house for over 3 years and it has never been this high. I'm wondering if the city raised the rates and I missed the communication. Anyone else experience a similar increase?

Posted 2 years ago #
Aim
Member Profile

YES! Ours went from $17 to $53 JUST for the sewer portion.

Posted 2 years ago #
tigger
Member Profile

mine is usually $44 and it jumped to $89! I don't remember seeing any communication that it was going to increase. But regardless an increase this high really seems out of line

Posted 2 years ago #
Jo
Member Profile

I live in an apartment, but pay for water/sewer for my unit. We have a meter installed on our individual hot water heaters.
My sewer-only charge jumped from $8.02 (previous month) to $54.18. In fact, my entire water/sewer bill (combined) jumped from $15.14 (previous month) to $75.02 (current billing).
I also didn't see any communication re: increase.
What's up?
I have my management co. looking into it, but not expecting a swift answer from them, as usual.

Posted 2 years ago #
Aim
Member Profile

There was no communication AT ALL about the rates changing. I'm in my account online and don't see a thing about it. I'll be calling to dispute it first thing Monday morning.

Posted 2 years ago #
Sue
Member Profile

I rent a house where water/sewer is included, so I don't get a bill. However, I noticed my last electric bill was very off, and then realized it was an estimated bill (which is strange since the meter is outside and nothing kept them from reading it, other than not showing up). Is it possible that these are estimated bills for sewer that are just badly estimated?

I see online that sewer did increase on 1/1, but it looks as if it's a very small increase and shouldn't be causing the increases that others are reporting here.

Posted 2 years ago #
WSB
Member Profile

There was a rate increase Jan. 1.
http://www.seattle.gov/UTIL/Services/Drainage_&_Sewer/Rates/COS_004081.asp

Posted 2 years ago #
velo_nut
Member Profile

Something I learned in the navy...

If it's yellow let it mellow, if it's brown flush it down.

Posted 2 years ago #
Jo
Member Profile

Sue & WSB:
My electric bill was also hugely increased.
I called city light and was told the increase on 1/1 was 13%.
My electric bill last winter, during the horrible snow storms, etc., and I was home alot during that time, was $117.92 (heating included) The bill I just got for the same billing period, this year, was $195.39. Figuring in the 13%, and a VERY MILD winter, it's way too high.
City light did not offer any solution. So....am going to have to officially protest this billing, also
Anyone else experiencing an abnormally high electric bill? (Over and above the 13% increase, that is)

Posted 2 years ago #
tigger
Member Profile

So the notice says the following:
Effective January 1, 2010, the wastewater rate increases from $8.89 to $8.98 per CCF (100 cubic feet).
So it is only a 10 cent increase, yet my bill is double.

Posted 2 years ago #
tigger
Member Profile

Another thing to check on your bill. Are you seeing that yourCCF usage has gone up for both water and sewer? My bill is usually 4-5 CCF in the winter. This past billing cycle it jumped to 10CCF. We didn't have any abnormal water usage the past two months so again this seems odd

Posted 2 years ago #
Valerie
Member Profile

Hey Tigger - my water usage almost doubled. I thought maybe I have a leak, or it had something to do with the filter I just installed. But if I'm not the only one, what's going on?

Posted 2 years ago #
Aim
Member Profile

My CCFs were exactly the same: 6.

Posted 2 years ago #
sam-c
Member Profile

tigger- we were shocked too- I remembered hearing about City light increase, but not SPU.
and they *estimated the usage at 10CCF. I haven't dug up the old bills to compare.
what bugged me was that they charged us as the low rate for 4.6 CCF. and the high rate for 5.4 CCF. why not divide in half? I guess it has do with the actual number of dates after the jan 1 increase

Posted 2 years ago #
dennisroux
Member Profile

My water/sewer/waste bill nearly doubled. I asked about it and the rep suggested I look for leaks. None and I don't think my toilet was running. Could it be some billing error?

Posted 2 years ago #
Jo
Member Profile

dennisroux:
I also was told by water co. to check for leaks. None
And city light suggested I read my meter - which I mentioned to her is behind locked door and 'how in hell do I read a meter."
I'm getting my management company involved, but..they're not especially speedy - or much interested - in ferriting out problems.
I wonder if this is only West Seattle - I'm in Alki area. I'll call family members - one in Ballard - and ask around at work. Will post results of those conversations here.
Jo

Posted 2 years ago #
flowerpetal
Member Profile

Aim and others, save yourself the frustration of calling on Monday. Its a holiday and customer service will be closed. We will all wait to read what you find out on Tuesday.

Posted 2 years ago #
EmmyJane
Member Profile

glad to know other people experienced this. my sewer usage was almost twice as high as my water usage.... so unless me and my hubby are drinking twice as much water from a source other than our house, then coming home and peeing it out, it doesn't make any logical sense.

sorry for the bathroom visual. :-)

Posted 2 years ago #
bluebird
Member Profile

8 CCF used. Water = $53 Sewer = $71 Total bill is only $7 dollars more than the last one. Is it possible there was estimating going on at some point, and this was the catch up month for those it happened to?

Posted 2 years ago #
todd_
Member Profile

Hi. My bill for water and sewer is always around 18 CCF's each. We are a family of 4. When the city announces rate increases on the bill enclosures, they state what the increased bill would equal based on the average home useage of 5 CCF. I thought the city did this so the increase would not look like it was that much but when a household uses almost 20 CCF, it really increases the bill.
.
I guess the bottom line for me is, are there any other households out there who have 4 people and use 18 CCF's or do we have a leak? We recently replaced the toilet flapper but didn't see a decrease in CCF. Even when there were 2 of us we always used around 10 CCF's if memory serves me. I've never had a bill for just 5 CCF's in the past 15 years or so of living in Seattle. Thanks for starting this discussion.

Posted 2 years ago #
todd_
Member Profile

Jo, this might help ya - They could have read your meter incorrectly.. It happened to us one month but it will right itself with the next reading. We had them fix ours though by reading the meter to them over the phone. If you can't do that, hopefully you will be seeing a real low bill next time.

Posted 2 years ago #
CarolPB
Member Profile

just checked my bill-4 adults, 12 CCF. bill is about $20.00 higher than last one.

Posted 2 years ago #
WSB
Member Profile

We have 2 adults and a teenager and 20 CCF. This is the second bill in a row past $300 ... seems like they were more routinely around $250-$270 not that long ago. Small old house.

Posted 2 years ago #
CatP
Member Profile

We DID get a letter quite a few months ago, I think from King County, explaining that stormwater rates would be going up, and that our rate would have to do with the size of the lot and the percentage of permeable/impermeable surface.

We have a very large lot with an itty bitty house and no paving anywhere (gravel driveway) so our rates have definitely gone up, but not hideously so.

So essentially I think we are being charged for how much rain falls on your property.

I'll try to locate that letter...

Posted 2 years ago #
dhg
Member Profile

FYI: Our household of 2 adults averages 6- 7 ccf's per billing cycle, last couple of bills have been about $155

Posted 2 years ago #
jwws
Member Profile

Our bill doubled - we're normally around 17 CCF but we DID have a leak - our main waterline broke at the point where it enters the house - no standing water or water in our basement was evident but it was obviously leaking for some time. The only way we discovered the leak was I started to hear running water, shut off water supply to the house and still heard running water. I went to the meter and sure enough it was running while the water main to the house was off so I shut the water supply off at the meter and no more sound of running water/running meter. Of course all this happened on a weekend while hubby was at Crystal ski instructing so I got to live without water for a few days then we dug up our front yard (losing all my oriental lilies and God knows how many perennials in the process) found and repaired the leak. Got a $510 water bill - OUCH. Called up SPU and was told there is a leak rebate program which you can apply for in writing. Have done so but am still waiting to hear from SPU about any rebates. Bottom line, if your water bill seems high check for leaks inside and out and if you can access your meter read it, shut off water to the house and then read again - if the meter's moved you got a leak between meter and house.

Posted 2 years ago #
yumpears
Member Profile

We have a house of 4 and our usual usage is 12 CCF, this last bill was higher at 14 CCF. It is high dollar-wise, but I don't think I would have noticed if I hadn't seen this thread.

Posted 2 years ago #
Bonnie
Member Profile

We have a family of 4 and we use 15 CCF per billing cycle. Same period last year was 16.

Posted 2 years ago #
Bonnie
Member Profile

Okay, speaking of utilities has your electric bills been estimated for awhile? Ours has been estimated since last June/July. Every month it's an estimate.

Posted 2 years ago #
Sue
Member Profile

Bonnie, our electric bill was estimated this past time, but not before that. If I were you, I'd call them on Tuesday to either get them out there and read it for real, or see if you can read it yourself and have a bill based on that. If they're estimating too low, you're going to get one hell of a bill at some point to catch up, or on the reverse, you're paying extra money you could be using otherwise. And I'd definitely want to know what the problem is that they can't get out and read it for 6 months.

Posted 2 years ago #
Jo
Member Profile

How do you know when city light is 'estimating.'
When I called about my uber-high bill they didn't mention that being a possibility. I'm in an apartment complex, so I'll check with some of the other tenants to see if their electric bill went sky high this billing cycle. City Light sure wasn't very helpful.

Posted 2 years ago #
jwws
Member Profile

Jo
If your light bill is estimated it will say so under the meter reading in the Detailed Billing section.

Posted 2 years ago #
JoB
Member Profile

i think i need to look more closely at my utility bills:(

Posted 2 years ago #
LS
Member Profile

Having never had a water/sewer bill at more than 3-5 CCF's, then I'm trying to figure out how my current bill is at 9 CCF's. Two adults, no laundry - can't understand how we're using more than 100 gallons/day.

Guess I'll have to check for leaks. :(

Posted 2 years ago #
JoB
Member Profile

water consumption is accurate if they read your meter..
but isn't sewer an estimate..
and that is based on sq ft of lot?

i think i need an education as well as a closer look at my bill

Posted 2 years ago #
tigger
Member Profile

from what I understand the water and Sewer potions should register the same CCF #. Example 5 CCF in (Water) 5 CCF out (Sewer). The only time you should see a difference is if not all of the water you used was going through the sewer due to watering lawns, cars etc. So if you are sure that all the water you used should have exited through the sewer and you are seeing a different water usage CCF from the Sewer CCF than something is probably not right

Posted 2 years ago #
JoB
Member Profile

is there a sewer meter?

Posted 2 years ago #
jwws
Member Profile

There is no sewer meter, as far as I can tell the city uses CCF in = CCF out (the sewer charges are the highest on the bill BTW) which is why if you have a leak try to get a rebate since the CCF lost to the leak didn't go down the sewer but percolated through the ground.....

Posted 2 years ago #
sam-c
Member Profile

yes, I think the sewer CCF is based on the water meter- there is no sewer meter.
I remember talking to one of the gardeners during the last edible garden tour. there was some discussion about his unhappiness with that method as he had a professional system put in to treat the 'gray water' and re-use it for watering plants. so, his point was that he was not putting all of the water he used back into the sewer.

Posted 2 years ago #
JoB
Member Profile

and if the reading is now also based on sq footage on the assumption that if you have more land you are putting more runoff into the storm system... it really complicates things...

Posted 2 years ago #
lott
Member Profile

I looked at my bill because I too saw HUGE increases. In comparing the last five bills, this recent bill looks like this:

14.23 CCF @ $8.890 per CCF 126.51
10.77 CCF @ $8.980 per CCF 96.71

We are usually right around 10-11 ccfs....

Looks like a ton of phone calls are coming their way tmrw......

Posted 2 years ago #
JoB
Member Profile

i finally looked at mine..
the bill is a little higher
but the numbers
which are actual readings
are pretty much in line with past readings...

they are high for two people who care about conservation
and higher than we have used elsewhere
but they have been consistent

Posted 2 years ago #
westcoastdeb
Member Profile

Mine almost doubled. Granted, there are 5 of us showering and such in this house, but even the spiffy little graph they put on the bills showed the same usage. Where we got screwed was the trash pick up. I was charged for more cans than I even have. 5 in one week. I dont even own that many cans. Somethings up and I hope someone gets to the bottom of it. I forgot to call today, so it'll be next week before Im off at a time that I can.

Posted 2 years ago #
JoB
Member Profile

dang!
now i have to get the bill out again:(
i only looked at water

Posted 2 years ago #
Homer
Member Profile

Yeah, odd. Last bill was Water=7CCF Sewer=4.95CCF

This bill was Water=9CCF Sewer=9CCF

This is what caused my sewer rate to almost double...why would sewer and water not equate to the same CCF one month and not this month?

Posted 2 years ago #
WSB
Member Profile

Anyone actually call to talk with an SPU rep today?

My inquiry is out to the media team - and I am following up with a call tomorrow since I didn't hear back today. But I'm just wondering if any of the folks who suggested they'd call, did, and if so, what you learned/were told ...

Posted 2 years ago #
mrhineh
Member Profile

Here is a recap of how SPU rates have increased 25%+ in the past 3 years:
http://www.seattle.gov/util/Services/Billing/Rates_Summary/COS_001989.asp

And in an audit report, where the short falls in efficiencies fall, conducted last summer:
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2010094633_audit17m.html

The audit found "that the water-utility tax rate charged to the utility, set by the mayor and City Council, is nearly double the average rate charged by other Washington cities. The utility taxes that SPU and Seattle City Light paid in 2009 accounted for about 10 percent of the city's total general-fund revenue.

While utility taxes are authorized by state law, there are no limits to the rates cities can charge to the utility, the audit found. 'Without limitations, utility customers are at risk of unduly subsidizing general government operations through their utility rates,' the audit says."

Posted 2 years ago #
lott
Member Profile

WSB, I unfortunately have not had the chance to call, work was a bit crazy. I will definitely post as soon as I find anything out. Thank you so much for looking into it for all of us!

Posted 2 years ago #
Aim
Member Profile

Ditto what lott said. I'm also buried at work. Will post as soon as I get a chance to call.

Posted 2 years ago #
lott
Member Profile

Ok, let me see if I can figure out how to explain what was explained to me. (See I'm confused already!)

During the winter months, water usage matches sewer usage exactly as discussed above. i.e.

Water Service: 24.00 CCFs

Sewage: 10.00 CCFs
14.00 CCFs

During the summer months however, there supposedly is a "cap" on how much SPU charges for sewage due to higher than normal water usage for things such as garden watering, car washing, yada yada.... i.e.:

Water Service: 24.00 CCFs

Sewage: 10.00 CCFs (capped at 10 so the 14 extra is apparently free.)

I looked back at all of our bills and none are the same so I don't know what I think of that explanation. The woman I talked to could not provide me ANY written guidance or policies pertaining to this so I ended up basically taking her word for it.

Anybody else find anything??

Posted 2 years ago #