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How Water Bills and Sewer Bills are Calculated

Accounts are grouped in geographic areas called "cycles". Each cycle is billed once per month. Meters are read before a cycle is billed so that the correct water usage is used in calculating the bill. The day of the month that the meter is read varies due to holidays, weather conditions and work load.

The basic information used in calculation on a bill is printed on the Water Bill. The number of days service from the last time the meter was read to the date of the current reading is calculated. These figures can be found on the water bill under the heading "FROM TO" and "DAYS".

The current meter reading and previous meter reading can be found on the water bill under the heading "METER READING PRESENT/PREVIOUS". "Factor" used in conversion of cubic feet to gallons is .748. The following is the calculation to convert cubic feet to gallons. * All calculations have been rounded for convenience.

Water use = (new reading - old reading)    X    factor,

the factor will be blank. In that case the consumption in gallons is calculated as follows. For example if the old reading was 209 and the new reading is 228 the calculation would be   use = (228 - 209) X .748 = 14,000 gallons (in thousand gallons).

 

Water use = new reading - old reading

Cubic Foot Meter Calculation

The above example was a meter which measured in cubic feet, (228 – 209) X 0.748 = 14,000 gallons water used

Gallon Meter Calculation 

The meter at a location is already reading in gallons, 

The above example was a meter which measured in gallons, (228 – 209) = 19,000 gallons water used

 

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How Water Fees are Calculated/Three Thousand Gallons or Less

The "Water Customer Charge" is the meter fee based on the size of the meter being billed and the type of service. (See Meter & Sewer Fees - Water Meter Fees) This fee is the same amount every month unless there is an ordinance change, which results in a rate change.  This amount will vary when the account qualified for prorating.  The most common size meter for a residential customer is 5/8" with a monthly fee of $4.25.

Water Quantity Charges are applied to consumption. Consumption is measured in 1,000 gallon increments. Rate X Consumption = the Monthly Quantity Charge.

Residential Water Minimum Charges shall be for all customers utilizing 3,000 gallons or less on any monthly usage and will be calculated at the water customer charge based upon the size of the meter plus the monthly sewer charge. Any residential customer using over 3,000 gallons per month will be calculated at the normal quantity and customer charges with no offset for minimum charges.

Example:

Water Use Fee = (Water Quantity Charge) + (Monthly Water Customer Charge)

For example if the customer is residential, the water quantity charge is $2.70 per 1,000 gallons and the water usage is 3,000 gallons.

Water Use Fee = (Water Quantity Charge) + (Monthly Water Customer Charge) 

                          (0 X $2.70)           +                         ($4.25)                    = $4.25

How Water Fees Are Calculated with Consumption Higher Than Three Thousand Gallons

There is a fee charged for the amount of water used.  After the water usage in a unit of thousands of gallons is determined, the usage is multiplied by the customer's water rate amount (see Meter & Sewer Fees - Water Usage Rates) giving the water usage fee.

Water Use Fee = (Water Quantity Charge) + (Monthly Water Customer Charge)

For example if the customer is residential, the water usage rate is $2.70 per 1,000 gallons and the water usage is 4,000 gallons.

Water Use Fee = (Consumption in Gallons X Water Quantity Charge) + (Monthly Water Customer Charge)

                                         (4 gallons X $2.70)      +        ($4.25)   

                                                  ($10.80)            +         ($4.25)   = $15.05

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How Sewer Fees are Calculated

Sewer rates are based on the service location being inside the city or outside the city. (See Meter & Sewer Fees - Sewer Fees) The Sewer Fee is calculated by multiplying the sewer fee and the actual water usage. Next multiply the sewer fee and the "Average Winter Month Consumption". Click on "Average Winter Months Consumption"  for more detail. 

CONSUMPTION/THREE THOUSAND GALLON OR LESS

For example, a residential customer inside the city has an actual consumption of 3,000 Gallons with an average winter month consumption of 4,000 gallons. That residential customer's calculated sewer fee would be

Sewer fee based on usage =   (Sewer Quantity Charges X 0)    +    (Monthly Sewerage Charges)

                                                              (0 X $3.58)              +                   ($3.87) 

                                                                   (0)                     +                   ($3.87)     = $3.87

CONSUMPTION HIGHER THAN THREE THOUSAND GALLONS

For example, a residential customer inside the city has an actual consumption of 11,000 Gallons with an average winter month consumption of eight. That residential customer's calculated sewer fee would be

Sewer fee based on usage =   (Sewer Quantity Charges X 0) + (Monthly Sewerage Charges)

                                                    (8, 000 X $3.58)  +    ($3.87) 

                                                            ($28.64)     +      (3.87)   = $32.51

FLAT RATE SEWER CHARGES

Sewerage Customer Charge:  All customers who are served by both the sanitary sewer system and water distribution system, but who have not established an average monthly water usage for the months of November, December, January and February will be charged a flat rate fee of $27.65, unless the sewer quantity charges are less than the established flat rate charge. Those customers that have established an average monthly water usage will be charged the same each month regardless of customer class or meter size.

Outside Rates: All water and sewerage rates for customers outside the city limits of Shreveport are two (2) times the rates for inside City water rates.

QUANTITY CHARGE                                                  QUANTITY CHARGE     

Inside City                                                                       Outside City

Customer Charge--$3.87                                                  Customer Charge -- $7.74

User Charge--$14.31                                                        User Charge -- $28.62

Capital Charge--$9.47                                                      Capital Charge -- $18.94

Total--$27.65                                                                    Total: -- $55.30

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Sales Tax

For residential water customers the state sales tax rate was reduced from 2.9% to 0% as of July 1, 2003.

For commercial and industrial water customers the sales tax rate was reduced from 3.9% to 2.8% as of January 1, 2008.

 
An example of the sales tax calculation for a commercial or industrial water customer is as follows:

(Water Use Fee) X (Sales Tax Rate) = Tax Amount

        ($25.85)      X        (0.028)   =          $0.72

Special Bill Calculations

There are times when a meter reading has been recorded incorrectly or some other adjustment is made to a customer's account, which requires that the account bill must be recalculated for either a single month or multiple months’ service.  When this happens, the account is prorated... that is the monthly fees are determined on a "per day" basis and charged according to the number day’s service. Prorating does not affect changes based on water used.

There are four (4) situations where an account is prorated.  Those are:

·         there is an error in the bill which required the bill to be recalculated back to a specific billing period

·         the first bill for an account

·         the last bill for an account

For example, if a residential customer account was recalculated for the previous 2 months with a reading:

228   on April 17th
209   on March 7th
197   on February 7th

The total service days would be 70 days from February 7^th to April 17th. 

The total water usage for a cubic foot meter would be (228 - 197) X .748 = 23,000 gallons.

Fee for water used = 23 gallons X $2.70 = $62.10

Meter fee for a 5/8" meter = ($4.25 / 30 days per month) X (70 days) = $9.92

Total fee for water service is $62.10 + $9.92 = $72.02

Tax = $72.02 X 0.028 = $2.02 (Commercial and Industrial accounts only)

Sewer fees are recalculated as:

Avg Winter Consumption of 10.... Residential Accounts only.

Monthly sewer fee rate of $3.87 / 30 days per month = .129 rate per day

(70 days X .129 per day)    +      (consumption of 10 X use rate $3.58)

         ($9.03)                    +                                ($35.80)                         = $44.83

In this example, the customer would owe a total:

Water         $72.02
Sewer        $44.83
Total         $116.85

Sewer fees are recalculated for:

Commercial or Industrial Accounts:

Monthly sewer fee rate of $3.87 / 30 days per month = .129 rate per day

(70 days X .129 per day)    + (consumption of 23 X use rate $3.58)

            ($9.03)                    +                       ($82.34)                         = $91.37

In this example, the customer would owe a total:

Water         $72.02
Sewer        $91.37

Tax             $2.02
Total         $165.41

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