Third Quarter Bills Are Traditionally Higher Due to Irrigation Systems Being Online, Now is the Time to Keep Water Usage Low
Summer is coming to an end quickly, but it is always important to begin implementing water conservation methods. The Plainview Water District (PWD) would like to remind its residents that third quarter bills can be much higher than normal due to irrigation systems being online throughout the summer months. The demand for water is heightened with hotter temperatures and the need to keep lawns green, so many residents experience a higher water bill.
“Water bills almost always spike during the summer, very similarly to gas and oil bills being heightened in the winter,” said PWD Chairman Marc Laykind. “Your water bills are completely based on usage, so residents’ bills fluctuate depending on the volume of water used during the quarter.”
Water bills are consistently the least significant utility bill in cost for residents, but the District makes a consistent effort to educate the community about the importance of water conservation and tips to keep bills as low as possible. These tips include following the Nassau County lawn watering ordinances and instituting smart irrigation controllers to cut down on water waste as part of the District’s Preserve Plainview initiative. Smart controllers can save residents an average of 40% on their summer water bills by cutting down on unnecessary water waste.
“Installing smart irrigation controllers are the most efficient way to cut down on your water bills,” said PWD Commissioner Amanda Field. “For those residents who see a large spike in their third quarter bills, these controllers can be a huge help in lowering bills and reducing water waste. Savings generated by these systems can really add up and even pay for themselves within the first few years after installation.”
The Plainview Water District billing structure is a block rate form, meaning the price of water per 1,000 gallons increases as a customer reaches higher tiers of usage. There are currently six rate tiers with the highest rate block only impacting customers who use more than 125,000 gallons of water in a given quarter. This highest rate tier is designed to motivate the District’s highest water users to conserve water.
“Most irrigation systems turn on while the homeowner is sleeping, so they are usually unaware of the amount of water they can consume,” said PWD Commissioner Andrew Bader. “Like all other utilities, those whose usage is more will pay more, while those who use less will pay less on their bills. There are many irrigation tips that residents can use in order to keep their lawns healthy while also cutting back on water use.”
For additional information about water conservation and tips to save water around the home, please call (516) 931-6469 or visit the Plainview Water District website at www.plainviewwater.org. Residents can also sign up to receive information by submitting their email address through the District’s homepage or following them on Facebook in order to stay up-to-date with District activities and initiatives.