outrageous Sewer Costs

[washregal]

To All:

I am reviewing my water and sewer costs with the local township early December:

My cost of Sewer over my water cost ranges between 6X and 8X - really killing me with cost and business -

Has anyone been successful in speaking with their townships in regard to getting some mercy?

I can't raise my prices - However utility always seem to go up including taxes etc.. pay more get less -

Just wondering how others have worked with this situation. The township that I am working with bases my sewer cost on a formula derived by water consumption. Other locations I have are usually 1 for 1 which seems fair and equitable - 6x-8x just appears to be stealing from me as far as I am concerned - Please advise.

 

[packerscw]

Are you weeping everything?

 

[Waxman]

one idea is a sewer meter.

the town will be reluctant to install one or read one if you install it.

however, it would help due to blow out/evaporation and carry-off.

becoming as efficient as you can with water will help.

 

[washregal]

Weeping all the SS bays (7) of them yes.

 

[Waxman]

I have roll down doors and roll them down at night when it's cold so I can weep less.

Try setting your weep to more of a conservation mode if you can.

Do you save your r.o. reject? That helps.

 

[packerscw]

Or just plain eliminate your weep, which will save more water too. cutting down on utilities is about all that can be done

 

[ted mcmeekin]

About 10 years ago I found out that another wash was getting sewer discount. I submitted the ICA study and got a 25 % rate reduction. Later the city raised rates about 50 % but kept our discount in place so we are up 25 % from where we started. Close to 1:1 with water.

Ted

 

[JMMUSTANG]

It might be time to look into the Polar Freeze Guard:

http://www.kleen-ritecorp.com/p-31732-polar-freeze-guard-7-outputs.aspx

 

[Jeff_L]

Or just plain eliminate your weep, which will save more water too. cutting down on utilities is about all that can be done

I assume you would suggest either a weep system which re-circulates water? Tough to re-plumb that in an existing wash with cutting concrete and such. If I were to re-build, it's something I would consider.

Has anyone been successful with simply blowing down their lines? I fear not all the water would push out and I'd end up with some frozen joints and such.

Jeff

 

[Earl Weiss]

AFAIAC all municipalities that pass a so called Sewer Charge based upon water usage should be brought up on RICO charges. They are perpetrating a fraud on the public. (I really don't think it would be succesful but if private enterprise tried something like this officials would surely go after them). They don't take into account tings like landscaping and evaporation.

Generally if they base it on water usage they will not let you put in a sewer meter which is part of the fraud.

 

[robert roman]

Solving water rate setting problem is like solving location problem, it requires local specific solutions.

If you plan to beg for mercy, it would help to first know where you stand.

Rates are set to cover expense for treatment, transmission, distribution, maintenance, debt service and rent/lease obligations.

Rates are affected most by source of water, number of customers, miles of pipeline and terrain.

The method of rate setting is usually a function of scarcity. Where water is scarce, rates stress conservation.

Rate increases can be caused by higher treatment costs, expansion/renovation or simply old age, leaky pipes.

In my area, water/sewer rates are expected to increase through 2020 rising from $8.50 to $12.50 per 1,000 gallons due in part to a 30 percent decline in consumption.

Since everyone must pay the rate increase, there is no logic for “I can't raise my prices.”

The exception is where the rate increase is used to supplement cash flow. In this case, you may be able to beg for mercy and get some relief.

Otherwise, the next step would be to calculate volume of water by specific type of use, identify where reductions could occur and how much would be saved.

With carwash, high pressure is identified because it often accounts for greatest percent of consumption.

This is one reason why Interclean, a maker of industrial wash systems, uses low-pressure/high-volume water washing (reclaim) rather than high-pressure/low-volume water washing.

So, is it possible to reduce flow rate and increase pressure without reducing horsepower applied to surface?

For example, if average use is 3 gpm at 900 psi, can you decrease flow to 2 gpm and increase psi to some level that produces the same amount of horsepower (work) as 3 gpm at 900 psi?

If so, you would be able to save as much as 2.5 gallons per vehicle.

 

[Waxman]

The steady increases are exactly why I look to re-formulate my IBA wash recipes, aiming to save 40 gallons per wash.

 

[soapy]

One town where I have a car wash has just raised the sewer rate to $749 per month flat rate. They calculate the wash uses the same water as 16 households or around 160,000 gallons per month.

 

[Waxman]

One town where I have a car wash has just raised the sewer rate to $749 per month flat rate. They calculate the wash uses the same water as 16 households or around 160,000 gallons per month.

So what does a veteran operator like you do to mitigate these high sewer fees? Got any tips to share?

 

[packerscw]

I assume you would suggest either a weep system which re-circulates water? Tough to re-plumb that in an existing wash with cutting concrete and such. If I were to re-build, it's something I would consider.

Has anyone been successful with simply blowing down their lines? I fear not all the water would push out and I'd end up with some frozen joints and such.

Jeff

No like JMMUSTANG suggested, look into something to just completely eliminate your weep water which will save boat loads of sewer cost. polarfreezeguard.com

 

[rph9168]

There is also a freeze protection system called Sub Zero from Hydro-Spray that flushes the lines out and uses a type of anti-freeze. The system is supposed to cost less to operate than a traditional weep. I haven't seen it yet so I don't know much more about how it works.