Did you know that town sewer fees are higher than town water fees?
Did you know that all water usage is also billed for sewer, regardless of whether this water goes back into the system for treatment or not?
This includes water used when washing your vehicles, bathing your pets, watering your lawn. Or power washing your house, filling up a hot tub or tending flower and vegetable gardens, or any number of other outdoor tasks one might do that require the use of water.
Today was an outstanding spring day, and certainly lawn and garden stores saw brisk business as people transition from indoors to enjoying outdoor space. Washing cars, bathing pets, cleaning up outdoors or putting gardens and plants out.
Since the regional water/sewer authority has increased fees -- and the Christiansburg Town Council will pass these costs on to consumers, because it already subsidizes actual costs to the tune of about $900,000 per year with general tax revenues -- this makes it very timely for Christiansburg residents to be aware of a pilot program the Town of Christiansburg recently agreed to.
With some nudging by one town resident, council looked at whether having a separate meter attached outside one's home was feasible. This wasn't a trailblazing (or, shall we say, progressive) idea. It was modeled on what is found in several other municipalities throughout the Commonwealth, and across the U.S.
Basically, the meter from the locality's main water line measures use by each residence. That same meter reading is used to determine sewage fees, which are typically higher due to the cost of cleaning wastes before dumping the treated water out of the public system and back into the natural system, or aquifer.
The town is selling separate meters one can connect to an outside spigot, measuring water used for outdoor tasks which goes directly into the ground instead of to the sewage treatment plant.
Once a year, probably sometime in October, the homeowner takes that meter to Town Hall and a reading is obtained. Then a credit will appear on a future bill, subtracting the related sewer fees you were charged when using the water during other months. Meters cost $150, covering actual costs plus a small handling charge.
The quantity of meters that can be purchased is very limited as this is a pilot program. No announcements have been included in the regular water and sewer bills sent out since council voted to try this out.
If you're interested, you'd better move fast. Word is that those attending council meetings -- including town personnel and council members -- have already joined the program. Call 382-6128 for additional details, as you won't easily find information about this on the town website, either.