During the each winter, Austin Water does wastewater averaging. Wastewater averaging provides a measure that is reflective of the amount of water that goes directly into the sanitary sewer system from your property. According to CBS Austin, how much each customer uses determines what they are charged starting in April and continuing for a full year.
“Just anything you can save in not using water will benefit you during that wastewater averaging period,” said David Anders with Austin Water, according to CBS Austin.
Austin Water recommends fixing leaky faucets and toilets, taking shorter showers and only running washing machines and dishwashers when they are full.
“Your water usage outdoors is generally the lowest it can be during the winter months and therefore it's a better close approximation to what your wastewater would be,” Anders said.
Austin’s rain this winter could also help lower wastewater bills. According to CBS Austin, creeks are full and the ground has been saturated during much of the late fall and winter.
“You should turn off your sprinkler system in mid-November and not turn it back on until mid-March,” Anders said. “You have to really watch your outdoor use during this time.”
According to CBS Austin, the water usage of 900,000 customers is averaged for three months sometime between mid-November and mid-March.
