OMAHA, Neb. (KMTV) — In June, the Metropolitan Utility District's tiered water use rates will kick in again this year.
The rate residential customers pay increases beyond two thresholds from June to October. MUD measures water usage in CCF, or 100 cubic feet, which is about 748 gallons.
- The first 9 CCF cost $1.82.
- The next 21 CCF cost $2.55, a 40% increase.
- Anything over 30 CCF costs $3.28.
Rates change and are posted online here.
MUD says its average customer uses 12.2 CCF, or 9,126 gallons, in a month between June and October.
Under the current rates, that means an average customer would reach the second tier, but pay less than 75 cents more each month in the higher tier.
They'd pay $16.42 at the lowest rate, then 3.2 CCF worth of the higher rate, coming to $8.17. That's a total of about $25.
The average usage from June to October is double that of the rest of the year, MUD says.
It means, though, that mistakes can add up in the summer and fall more than they would otherwise. Plumbers told 3 News Now, for instance, that a running toilet once in a while causes water usage to spike, though not very frequently.
Some online called the increase unfair after they received a flier included with their bill. But it makes sense to others.
"I think some people tend to over-water," said Ray Janiak, a retired Omaha man who now has more time to tend to his yard. "If they want to over-water, they should be willing to pay for that ... You gotta think about conservation of resources."
Water conservation tips
John Fech, a horticulturist at the Douglas-Sarpy Counties University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension Office, gave tips on how to keep water use down to no more than necessary in yard work.
- For soil health, soil should be moist. It shouldn't be soaked, though. You can check this with a screwdriver.
- Old tuna cans can be placed throughout the yard to ensure equal distribution of water. If it's uneven, some parts of the yard could be over-watered. If it's uneven, it could be an issue with the sprinkler or irrigation system.
- For plants, a drip irrigation hose can be used.
