I will soon introduce legislation to create fairer wastewater billing practices for low‑income households.
 
Today, most wastewater bills are based on the total amount of water recorded by a home’s water meter. Utilities often assume that nearly all water entering a home eventually returns to the wastewater system for treatment, but that’s not always true. Many everyday uses like watering plants, washing cars, or filling up a pool do not send water back into the wastewater system. Still, ratepayers are charged as if all water used must be treated, which inflates bills and unfairly strains household budgets.
 
My legislation addresses this by requiring wastewater authorities and publicly regulated wastewater utilities to use a method known as “winter averaging” when billing low-income customers.
 
Winter averaging uses a household’s winter water consumption, wherein usage is typically lowest, to set a cap on the amount for which the household may be billed throughout the year. Under this proposal, a household’s wastewater bill during non-winter months would be based on the lower of either their winter average rate or their actual water consumption for the billing period. This benefit would apply to households earning up to 200% of the Federal Poverty Level, which is about $66,000 annually for a family of four.
 
I invite you to join me in cosponsoring this legislation. Together, we can promote fair billing practices and reduce utility costs for vulnerable families.