Wastewater Credit Allowance
(as of November, 2003)

A Wastewater Credit Allowance is available to those County customers who do not discharge to the sanitary sewer system all of the water that is purchased.  Customers who use water in the production of their products, cooling towers, irrigation, swimming pools, or other uses that do not enter the sanitary sewer system are eligible to receive a wastewater credit.

In order to receive a Wastewater Credit Allowance, water usage documentation must be submitted.  There are four ways to provide this documentation:

1. Meters on dedicated process water lines such as boilers, chillers, irrigation, swimming pools, etc.  The actual meter readings (PDF) of the dedicated water meters must be recorded monthly and submitted quarterly to the Department of Public Works, Bureau of Utilities, Engineering and Regulation Division (E&R) on special forms provided upon request.  These reports are used by E&R to calculate the volume of water not discharged to the sanitary sewer from January to December each year.  This volume is used to adjust the Sewer Service Charge.
2. Production schedules and runs for industries such as soft drink bottlers, breweries and food processing plants where percentages of water end up in the actual product.  Production schedules and runs are used much the same as meters.  The volume of product determines the volume of water discharged to the sanitary sewer system, and the Sewer Service Charge is adjusted accordingly.
3. Sewage meters measuring the total discharge to the sanitary sewer system.  The actual meter readings (PDF) are recorded monthly and submitted quarterly to E&R.  The Sewer Service Charge is computed using the actual discharge measurements.
4. Swimming pool documentation.  The method of calculating a Wastewater Credit Allowance for a swimming pool is by doubling the volume of the swimming pool in current use.

No matter which method is used to calculate the wastewater credit, no credit can be granted without the proper documentation.  Any meter used to provide the needed documentation must be installed, maintained, read and reported promptly by the user.  Periodically, the County may have an inspector visit the site to verify meter readings.

 Need PDF help?

Revised June 23, 2005