U.S. Water News Online
DENVER -- Denver Water residential customers will see their bimonthly service charges rise beginning Sept. 7 as the utility works to offset falling water sales due to conservation.
Board members agreed to raise the flat fee from $4.91 to $8.51 for most customers. Businesses and government customers will pay more based on the size of their water meters.
Denver Water officials said the utility's 1.2 million customers are using an average 188 million gallons a day this month amid watering limits, down from 260 million gallons in a typical June without restrictions.
The increase in bimonthly service charges will raise about $8 million a year to offset the lower water sales.
If customers continue to conserve, their total water bills may still be low despite the hikes, officials said.
"Most customers who comply with drought restrictions will still pay less for water this summer than they did last summer,'' finance director David LaFrance said.
"It's critical to our water supply that our customers are saving the water supply,'' said Marc Waage, water resources director.
Denver Water's reservoirs are about 80 percent full amid an ongoing drought, and twice-weekly watering restrictions began May 1.
About 2,500 customers have received visits for watering on the wrong day, for too long, for broken sprinkler heads or other violations, said Jim Rael, the drought monitoring program's supervisor. Rael said 600 warnings have been issued, and four users were fined $250 each.
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