The City of Sacramento Department of Utilities reminds its residential water customers that customers who have a water meter and who have received a comparative bill for at least one year will be converting to a metered rate in January 2010. Residents who have a meter, but who have not had a year of comparative billing will remain on a flat rate until they have received a year of comparative billing. Customers who do not currently have a water meter will receive a year of comparative billing once a water meter is installed before being switched to a metered rate.

The City is installing water meters on more than 110,000 homes by 2025 and converting customers with a water meter to metered billing in compliance with State law.

When being billed on a metered rate, customers will be billed a monthly service fee based on the size of their water meter as well as a volumetric charge for the water that they use. A customer who uses the median amount of water each month will have nearly the same annual water bill as their current annual flat rate bill. In general, customers who use more water than the median each month will pay more, and those who use less water will pay less than the current flat rate bill.

Customers are reminded that the City offers free water conservation consultations. Customers can call (916) 264-5011 or 311 to schedule a free Water Wise House Call. During the House Call, a water conservation specialist will help property owners with free conservation tips and tools and will assist the owner with an irrigation evaluation.