Washington state
law requires all water usage to be metered by 2017, upsetting some Whatcom
Falls Neighborhood residents and pleasing others.
In
compliance with the Municipal Water Law and Water Use Efficiency Program passed
in 2003, the City of Bellingham is currently in the process of converting to a
metered system. According to the City of Bellingham’s website, this means
placing water meters in 15,000 single-family residential homes in a projected time
frame of five years. The project will cost the city an estimated $11 million.
“They
are designed to allow customers to track their water usage. Use less water, pay
less. When customers are aware of their
water use, they tend to conserve more,” said Heather Higgins, Communications
Coordinator of the
City of Bellingham Public Works
Department.
In order to make
the installation process the most efficient and cost effective, a schedule was
developed for neighborhoods based on meter reading routes, billing cycles, and
installation procedures. Residents in Whatcom Falls Neighborhood can expect the
installation process to begin at the end of this year and continue through
2014.
There are two
steps to the installation process according to City of Bellingham’s Water
Conservation Coordinator Anitra Accetturo. First, crews will install water
meter assembly boxes to approximately 534 residences. Then the actual water
meters will be inserted, she said.
The installation
process only takes 15 minutes if the resident already has a water meter
assembly box, but can take up to 4 hours if the resident does not have the box.
There is no charge to the homeowner for installation, but plants, trees,
shrubs, fences or other structures next to where the box will be placed must be
removed or relocated. Information on how to tell if there is already a water
meter assembly box in place can be found on the City of Bellingham’s website.
Although some
residences already have the water meter assembly boxes in place, few presently
have water meters. “Some have meters if the house was built after 2005, or if
the owners signed up for the volunteer meter program,” said Accetturo.
Currently, all 729
single-family residences in Whatcom Falls Neighborhood pay a flat rate utility
bill, Accetturo said. The utility bill is comprised of four components: water,
sewer, storm water, and a watershed fee. As stated by the City of Bellingham’s
2013 utility billing rates, residents pay a flat rate of $32.66 per month for
the water portion. Beginning Jan. 1,
2015, Whatcom Falls Neighborhood residents will no longer have fixed water
prices. Instead, metered rates will be in effect, although flat rates for the
sewer portion of the bill will continue.
Metered water for
a single-family residence inside the city using a five-eighths inch meter costs
a base rate of $13.10 per month, plus $1.58 per 100 cubic feet (748 gallons).
Some
of Whatcom Falls Neighborhood residents are disgruntled by the impacts of the
project. “We have fixed water prices right now and we have drips in our pipes
and toilets. Now we’ll have to pay for it,” said Zac Gervais, 24, employee of
Lafeen’s Donuts and resident in Whatcom Falls Neighborhood.
Higgins
has also heard some complaints from landlords who pay the utility bills.
“[They] are concerned that tenants who do not see the bill will use more
water. Landlords may include the
utilities in the rent. They will not
know how much to bill the tenant until the consumption is billed, typically
after monthly rent has been paid.”
Other
residents believe the water meters are a good idea, including Celia Kadushin,
55. “I think it’s a good thing because I came from a town that had them. Our
water bill was always low because we know how to conserve water,” she said.
“It
is very rare not to have metered water. Bellingham and Everett are the only
cities of our size in Washington that don’t have metered water. The meters will
help save water,” said Accetturo.
In placing water
meters throughout the city, people will mostly likely be more conscious of
their water usage. Although Bellingham water usage averages slightly lower than
the national average, greater conservation of water is important due to the
fact that only 1 percent of water on the planet is available for humans, as
specified by Water Consumption Data by the City of Bellingham.
Despite the fact
that population has increased in Bellingham from 1990-2005, water usage has
actually decreased since the 1990s.
For those who are
concerned with a high water bill, factors that will affect the bill amount
include the number of people in a home, individual water-use patterns,
efficiency of appliances, and the quantity of water used on the exterior of the
house. According to the American Water Works Association, the indoor appliances
that use the most amount of water are toilets, clothes washers, faucets, and
showers.
The Water Conservation webpage on the City of
Bellingham’s website includes more tips for saving water and lowering bills.
