Water Bills Research Articles

Whose Responsibility Are Leaks, Anyway?

This question of the month is about determining where responsibility begins and ends for the customer and the utility. The article specifically discusses a call to the Small Utility Network from a lawyer who was representing a customer of a small water utility. The customer's meter was inside the home, and there was a leak at the connection of the service line to the meter yoke. The customer claimed that this situation had occurred two or three times in the past and that the utility had responded to his call and serviced the problem. However, on the most recent occasion, a leak occurred when the home owner was not at home. The leak caused considerable damage and a high water bill. The issue: were the respective responsibilities of the utility and the home owner ever clearly defined and communicated by the utility to the home owner? The events leading up to the dispute were viewed differently by the parties involved, and legal council was required to resolve the issue.

Preservation value for groundwater quality in a large aquifer: a contingent-valuation study of the Alsatian aquifer

The Alsatian aquifer is the largest aquifer in Western Europe and supplies groundwater for almost all households in Alsace, without any treatment in most areas. The main objective of this paper is to compare the willingness-to-pay of households living in polluted areas with those having access to preserved quality. Results are presented of a contingent-valuation study of the Alsatian aquifer. On the basis of a representative sample of households, directly interviewed on 10 different sites, the determinants of the preservation value of groundwater quality are estimated using two different methods of payment (referendum and open-ended method) and two versions of a questionnaire differing by the reliability of the proposed preservation programme. It was found that households living in polluted areas have a greater willingness-to-pay for a hypothetical programme of preservation compared to the other households. Also, in contrast with previous studies on groundwater, it was found that neither the reliability of the programme nor knowledge of the water bill significantly affected the mean willingness-to-pay.1998 Academic Press Limited

Sustainability of a Water Supply System: The Case of Hai Water Project in Tanzania

In the developing countries, self-sustaining water supply projects have become critical for the long-term development and well-being of the people. To ensure sustainability, equity, billing collection, cost recovery and beneficiary participation are emphasized. This paper investigates a small rural/urban water supply project in Tanzania in terms of the above attributes and evaluate its potential for further improvement. Equity in public tap distribution is analysed using the Theil information theoretic measure while the performance in monthly water bills collection is evaluated using the Theil forecast error method. The results show that public taps are unevenly distributed among beneficiaries. The performance in bills collections is better for public taps than for house connections and, overall, townships' performance is better than that of villages. Though the project as a whole recovers 127.4% of its operations and maintenance costs from billings, it has a high potential for further improvement.

Regional inequalities in paying for water

This paper argues that the current debate surrounding new methods of charging for water from the year 2000 should incorporate issues of social equity and must consequently involve not just the water industry but also central government and the Department of Social Security in particular. The water industry in England and Wales is currently fragmented into almost 30 separate companies, each with its own costs and prices for water services. Average water bills for domestic customers vary with company area but this variation is not wholly matched by patterns in the extent of use of the DSS direct payment scheme. In some areas people dependent for their income on means‐tested social assistance benefits can face high water bills yet lack access to budgeting schemes to help with payment.

WATER INSTITUTIONS, MARKETS AND DECENTRALISED RESOURCE MANAGEMENT: PROSPECTS FOR INNOVATIVE POLICY REFORMS IN IRRIGATED AGRICULTURE / WATERINSTITUSIES, MARKTE EN GEDENSENTRALISEERDE HULPBRON-BESTUUR: VOORUITSIGTE VIR INNOVERENDE BELEIDSHERVORMING IN BESPROEIINGSLANDBOU

Increasing scarcity and competition for water resources has led to international recognition that public policies must change to manage water as an economic commodity. An analysis of natural resources and markets shows that limited potential exists in a regional context for trade in ‘virtual water’ through food imports. Policy options for intra- and intersectoral water reallocation must therefore receive priority attention. Based on experiences in other countries, emphasis is placed on successful innovations of markets in tradable water rights, local management, user-based performance assessment and water saving technologies in irrigated agriculture. The recently published National Water Policy for South Africa and draft National Water Bill that has been released for discussion are accordingly evaluated. With application of the theory of New Institutional Economics, a number of deficiencies in the accepted principles and policy measures become apparent. It is clear that the proposed water licences are insecure; this will not induce efficient market al locations nor will it enable effective participation of water users in water management. Further economic contributions in policy making are required for the design of unattenuated water entitlements in order to achieve correct pricing incentives.

MUNICIPAL WATER USE AND PRICING IN ONTARIO, 1983–1994

Water use and pricing data for Ontario were abstracted from Environment Canada’s Municipal Water Use and Pricing Surveys. Five surveys (1983, 1986, 1989, 1991, 1994) were included in the time series analysis. Over 300 Ontario municipalities, representing 85% of Ontario’s population, were represented in the survey results. This paper aggregates all municipal responses into one Ontario-wide data set. Some of the trends include: an increase in per capita residential water use and a decrease in total per capita water use; increasing domestic water use as a percentage of total municipal withdrawals; slight increases in the level of water metering and wastewater treatment; an increase in the number of municipalities using progressive rate structures (although over one-quarter of all urban residents are still charged a flat rate for water use); and an increase in volumetric rates charged to customers and average monthly water and wastewater bills. While the survey detected some positive changes in water use and pricing practices in Ontario, significantly more progress is required to generate revenues to finance required improvements to water-related infrastructure and send the appropriate price signals to encourage more efficient water use.

WATER INSTITUTIONS, MARKETS AND DECENTRALIZED RESOURCE MANAGEMENT: PROSPECT FOR INNOVATIVE POLICY REFORMS IN IRRIGATED AGRICULTURE

Increasing scarcity and competition for water resources has led to international recognition that public policies must change to manage water as an economic commodity. An analysis of natural resources and markets shows that limited potential exists in a regional context for trade in 'virtual water' through food imports. Policy options for intra- and intersectoral water reallocation must therefore receive priority attention. Based on experiences in other countries, emphasis is placed on successful innovations of markets in tradable water rights, local management, user-based performance assessment and water saving technologies in irrigated agriculture. The recently published National Water Policy for South Africa and draft National Water Bill that has been released for discussion are accordingly evaluated. With application of the theory of New Institutional Economics, a number of deficiencies in the accepted principles and policy measures become apparent. It is clear that the proposed water licences are insecure; this will not induce efficient market allocations nor will it enable effective participation of water users in water management. Further economic contributions in policy making are required for the design of unattenuated water entitlements in order to achieve correct pricing incentives.

Higher Rates for Apartment Approved

Thomas J. Flatley owned an apartment complex in Malden, Massachusetts. In all, the complex had 13 buildings containing 919 apartment units. The city has a three‐tiered water rate system that includes, in addition to a flat rate for up to 1,000 cu ft (28 m3) of water, three incrementally higher rates per 100 cu ft (2.8 m3) as usage increases. Each building has a single water meter, meaning that Flatley pays much of the water bill at the high‐usage rates. The court assumed these higher charges were ultimately paid by the residents of the complex. Flatley challenged the rate system as creating an impermissible discrimination between consumers who receive the same service under similar conditions, i.e, between apartment dwellers and residents of single family homes. The trial court ruled against Flatley. The decision was upheld by an appellate court.

Safe drinking water bill enacted

Safe drinking water bill enacted

Town Wins Competition Case

Apartment building owners have been awarded the difference between their average monthly water bills and increased bills for the first quarter of 1993. Plaintiffs owned an apartment building. Before 1993, the water bill averaged about $79 per month. For the first quarter of 1993, the total bill was more than $750. The building's 26‐year‐old water meter was replaced in April 1993, after which average monthly bills were only slightly higher than pre‐1993 bills. The old meter had never been tested, maintained, or serviced. Also, during the first few months of 1993, no water leaks occurred and no repairs were made to the building's plumbing. The owners sued the city and won a judgement of $524.

Excessive Water Bill Refund Ordered

Carolina Water Services, Inc., a public utility, furnished service in parts of Catarat County, including areas within the town limits of Atlantic Beach. In 1992, Carolina sought to enjoin the town from extending its lines into the annexed area, claiming contract interference and unfair practices. These claims were based on the town's intent to duplicate Carolina's water system in areas that the town had annexed in 1988. In 1992, the town added water softener and fluoridation‐‐neither of which Carolina provided‐‐to its water system. By the time of the court hearing, the town had completed the competing water lines, and most of Carolina's customers in the annexed area had disconnected from Carolina and connected to the town's new lines. The trial court ruled for the town.

WILLINGNESS TO PAY FOR WATER QUALITY AND SUPPLY ENHANCEMENTS IN THE GRAND RIVER WATERSHED

This paper reports the results of a large contingent valuation survey to estimate the social benefits of water quality improvements in the watershed. Early results indicate a willingness to pay (WTP) for residential water quality improvements of up to $4.50 per household per month (19% of the average water bill), with a somewhat lower value for preserving the environmental quality of parkland in the watershed. Using a 5% discount rate, this translates into a demand for water quality projects in the region with a capital value of nearly $1100 per household. The narrowness of the estimated range of WTP values, and their similarity to values found in other studies, suggests that our estimates are a reliable measure of the monetary value of social benefits from water quality improvements in the region. The main socio-economic determinants of willingness to pay appear to be household income, number of children, perception of existing water quality, and awareness of environmental issues on the part of survey re...

Families pull the plug in bid cut water bills

Families pull the plug in bid cut water bills

House vote nears for new clean water bill

House vote nears for new clean water bill

Water Poverty and Social Policy: A review of issues for research

ABSTRACTAbundant evidence exists to suggest that increasing numbers of people in England and Wales are facing difficulties in paying for water services. The reasons for these difficulties and their consequences are not easy to disentangle yet it is essential to understand them if policies for their alleviation are to be developed in the context of increasing costs of water service provision. This article suggests how social policy research can address the main issues at three levels: first by looking at economic, environmental and political considerations underlying increasing costs, the need for water conservation and changes in charging systems; second, by understanding how ability to pay depends not only on the resulting size of water bills, but also on income levels and access to organisational arrangements to help with payments; and third, by examining the impacts of inability to pay – debt and disconnection – on living standards, health and well-being.

Fee, Not Tax, Supports Public Fire Protection

River Falls, Wisconsin, sought to uphold the constitutionality of a charge to a church to cover the cost of providing water for fire protection. Pursuant to a state law, the city elected to collect public fire protection charges as part of each utility customer's water bill. One method used to apportion the cost of water for fire protection was to prorate each customer's cost according to property value. St. Bridget's Catholic Church of River Falls refused to pay the charge, claiming the state law was unconstitutional. The trial court upheld the constitutionality of the law concluding that the charge was a fee, not a tax.

Rhetorical status: A study of its origins, functions, and consequences

Rhetorical status is a feature of all communicative interaction. It is the relative standing or positioning of parties to communication or, defined cognitively, it is this standing as reflected in the identities that interacting parties assign to themselves and to others as communicators, as each takes account of salient qualities of self and others. Rhetorical statuses are mutable and context‐specific, yet quite often durable and consistent across time and place. The concept of rhetorical status is distinctive to communication studies, and it is vital for explaining the efficacy of communication—its power or persuasiveness. To show how rhetorical status enters into everyday communication, we examine a protracted set of interactions between two sisters and a small‐town mayor over disputed water bills.

Water affordability and alternatives to service disconnection

Utilities are finding ways to continue service for ratepayers who have difficulty paying their water bills.Rising costs and rising water bills are inevitable. For customers, the problem of water affordability may result in increased arrearages, late payments, disconnection notices, and service terminations. Utilities, under increasing pressure to respond to affordability and disconnection problems, generally prefer assistance‐oriented programs in cooperation with social agencies over rate structure modifications. In this article the author reviews available options including financial counseling, arrearage forgiveness, payment discounts, income‐based payments, lifeline rates, targeted conservation, disconnection moratoria, and flow restriction.

Wellhead treatment costs for groundwater contaminated with pesticides: A preliminary analysis for pineapple in Hawaii

In Hawaii, trace concentrations of pesticides used in the production of pineapple were found in the groundwater supplies of Mililani Town in the Pearl Harbor Basin on the island of Oahu. Groundwater serves as the major source of drinking water and residents pay for wellhead treatment of the contaminated water, via their monthly water bill. The agricultural chemical users within the Pearl Harbor Basin do not include these wellhead treatment costs in their production costs. The agricultural industry benefits from using pesticides but does not pay the entire societal cost of using these chemicals. In this study we evaluate the specific financial cost of wellhead treatment, and not the economic value of groundwater. While wellhead treatment costs could conceivably be shared by several parties, this study focuses on the financial impact of the pineapple industry alone. This study factors annual wellhead treatment costs into annual pineapple production costs to measure the effect on annual financial return from pineapple production. Wellhead treatment costs are calculated from the existing granulated activated carbon (GAC) water treatment facility for Millilani Wells I and II. Pineapple production costs are estimated from previous cost of production studies. The inclusion of wellhead treatment costs produces different production-cost results, depending on the scale of analysis. At the local scale, the Mililani wellhead treatment costs can be factored into the production costs of the pineapple fields, which were probably responsible for contamination of the Mililani Wells, without causing a deficit in economic return. At the larger regional scale, however, the return from all of the pineapple grown in the Pearl Harbor Basin can not sustain the cost of wellhead treatmentfor the entire water supply of the basin. Recommendations point to the prevention of groundwater contamination as more cost-effective measure than wellhead treatment.

Incorporating public preferences in planning urban water supply reliability

This study has two objectives: (1) to compare the attitudes of the water‐using public, water officials, and elected officials toward the risk of water supply shortage; and (2) to develop a methodology for incorporating water users' valuation of reliability in system design. Using contingent valuation techniques, we have measured the benefits and costs of different reliability levels in terms of water users' willingness to pay (WTP) for increases in reliability and in terms of their willingness to accept (WTA) compensation in the form of lower water bills for lower levels of reliability. Three cities in northern Colorado with diverse baseline levels of water supply reliability (Aurora, Boulder, and Longmont) are the study sites. Contrary to our hypothesis that water managers are unjustifiably risk averse, we find that water managers' preferences are consistent with customer WTP (WTA) values associated with the risk of water shortages and the system costs associated with reliability. Water managers in Boulder (high reliability) were willing to consider reductions in the level of system reliability while water managers in Aurora and Longmont (low reliability) favored the status quo or increased reliability. While these attitudes were sometimes contrary to a majority of customers' expressed interests in change, they were shown to be justified by comparison of supply system costs (savings) with aggregate WTP for additional reliability (WTA for less reliability).