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What Your Water Bill Goes Toward ERMU serves a population of over 26,000. Just over 5,000 customers are residential connections, and over 650 are commer- cial connections. It is always our goal to promote limiting water waste, because water is our fundamental lifeline. We charge in increments of 1,000 gallons; our first tier is $2.02 per 1,000 gallons. At our local stores, it costs about $1.50 for one gallon of water and around the same for a single -serving, 16-ounce bottle of water. That's quite a price difference for an equivalent volume, and water from ERMU comes right into your home. Our goal is to have reliable equipment and infrastructure to provide quality water each time you turn on the faucet. The more water that's pumped, the harder the equipment runs, and the more maintenance is required to operate wells. Just like a vehicle, the more miles or hours run, the more equipment ages and fails, and the general wear and tear of pumping day in and day out adds up. Maximum -capacity pumping should only occur in peak circumstances, such as the hottest days of the year or a severe drought. So, what part of our efforts to supply water to your home or business does your water bill cover? Customers that have new construction or are connecting into the water system are charged a water availability charge (WAC). This is a water connection and accessibility charge to establish new services, and it goes toward infrastructure build -out, including water mains, hydrants, booster pumps, wells, and towers. Rates that are charged for water consumption keep our system operating each day. Rate -based funds are budgeted for regular maintenance and water production, including purchase of chemicals for water quality, state sampling and documentation, and valve and hydrant upkeep and labor. We meticulously budget for reliability, quality, and future growth. You may have wondered why we charge more for higher water use. Tiered rates are one of the few options given by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) for conservation efforts. ERMU must report our annual water pumping and show our peak (highest) and base (lowest) pumping month. The base pumping month indicates the actual need for water in the system for consumption and daily use, while most of the water used during the peak pumping month is for irrigation. That is our number one water use in Elk River. In 2023 we went from 1,535,000 gallons pumped in January to 6,803,000 gallons pumped in July. That's over a 300-percent increase in water consumption. Based on our differential from base to peak, we pay the DNR for volume above the base calculation. This is called a summer surcharge. Water Conservation Tips You can play a role in conserving water and save yourself money in the process by becoming conscious of the amount of water your household is using and looking for ways to use less whenever you can. It is not hard to conserve water. Here are a few tips: • Automatic dishwashers use four to six gallons for every cycle, regardless of how many dish are loaded. So get a run for your money and load it to capacity. ' • Turn off the tap when brushing your teeth. • Check every faucet in your home for leaks. Just a slow drip can waste 15 to 20 gallons a day. Fix it and you can save almost 6,000 gallons per year. • Check your toilets for leaks by putting a few drops of food coloring in the tank. Watch for a few minutes to see if the color shows up in the bowl. It is not uncommon to lose up to 100 gallons a day from an invisible toilet leak. Fix it and you save more than 30,000 gallons a year. • Use your water meter to detect hidden leaks. Simply turn off all taps and water -using appliances. Then check the meter after 15 minutes. If it moved, you have a leak. • It is important to know that the number one use of water is irrigation. Be sure to check your irrigation system and settings often to be sure that irrigation heads are not broken and that sprinkling times are limited to fit seasonal changes and actual need. Water your lawn between midnight and 4AM with a cycle -and -soak pattern for better lawn health. 0 r. 183