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San Antonio River Authority(SARA) sewer charges... Explain it to me like I'm 4 years old

BigHorn'13

By BigHorn'13
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BigHorn'13

BigHorn'13 3,363

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Rant incoming--

We moved within San Antonio back in March. Our water bill would be ~$40-50 a month which, I always thought was a tad bit high for water, but whatever. We move 10 minutes down the road to a slightly bigger home, and now our water bill is averaging a little over a hundred for these past couple of months. 

Both residences are connected for water via SAWS (San Antonio Water System) but the previous address' sewage is connected to SAWS, and my new address is connected to SARA. Again, we're still living within San Antonio city limits. 

Now with the new sewage provider in SARA, we're paying over $55 in sewage fees (not actual water usage) because the company has not calculated our "winterized average sewer rate," whatever the fuck that means and why the fuck those months,  in particular, are so important to determine such a rate. So we're paying this "unaveraged" rate until the months of December, January and February passes, at which point SARA will "average" those sewer rates (specific to my household), and the new price will be reflected in my bill in, wait for it... October of 2025! This process will also continue every year and no rebate/refund will be received should the rate be decreased. 

So my question is, well, like, wtf man? No recourse or anything. 

giphy.gif?cid=6c09b9521p6q0jaf89f3v6swc2

 

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Dnaguy

Dnaguy 11,916

Posted
Posted (edited)
22 minutes ago, BigHorn'13 said:

Rant incoming--

We moved within San Antonio back in March. Our water bill would be ~$40-50 a month which, I always thought was a tad bit high for water, but whatever. We move 10 minutes down the road to a slightly bigger home, and now our water bill is averaging a little over a hundred for these past couple of months. 

Both residences are connected for water via SAWS (San Antonio Water System) but the previous address' sewage is connected to SAWS, and my new address is connected to SARA. Again, we're still living within San Antonio city limits. 

Now with the new sewage provider in SARA, we're paying over $55 in sewage fees (not actual water usage) because the company has not calculated our "winterized average sewer rate," whatever the fuck that means and why the fuck those months,  in particular, are so important to determine such a rate. So we're paying this "unaveraged" rate until the months of December, January and February passes, at which point SARA will "average" those sewer rates (specific to my household), and the new price will be reflected in my bill in, wait for it... October of 2025! This process will also continue every year and no rebate/refund will be received should the rate be decreased. 

So my question is, well, like, wtf man? No recourse or anything. 

giphy.gif?cid=6c09b9521p6q0jaf89f3v6swc2

 

 

1.) How TF do you have a $50 SAWS water bill? Do you live in a condo? Is your yard just a dirt patch? Are you a camel with a family of Bedouins? 

2.)  During the winter, your water usage is the lowest. That's why they use it.

Therefore, the 'load' you put on the system is also the lowest.

Outside of Black Friday and the day after Christmas of course.....Sewer load has to spike on those days IMO.

Being in city limits has nothing to do with it. You're now in SARA sewer's footprint.

My guess is that b/c your water provider and your sewer provider is different, SARA has to get your 'average usage' from SAWS.

There's no meter for usage on the shit that comes from your house. 

Considering that SARA and SAWS are government monopolies, they don't give a shit about speed or anything like that. So it likely takes them a year to talk to one another.

And just like the camel comment, the $50 is probably an average across their system. Likely those with large yards that they irrigate make out, while you desert people get the short end of the camel whip.

FYI:

Sewer charges are based on your incoming water with the assumption of 'what comes in must go out.'

That's why you always call your sewer provider if you're filling a large pool or pond or something with potable water. You give a day / time window and they wave the sewer portion for it.

Educate Yourself Shooting Star GIF

 

Edited by Dnaguy
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BigHorn'13

BigHorn'13 3,363

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32 minutes ago, StassneyHorn said:

Call the customer service line

dont behave like a boomer on the phone

Ask if you can get on a tiered rate

dont poop or pee

Shieeeet, how the hell do you think I came across all that info lol? Also, no tiered rate. That's just how SARA rolls...

23 minutes ago, Dnaguy said:

How TF do you have a $50 SAWS water bill? Do you live in a condo? Is your yard just a dirt patch? Are you a camel with a family of Bedouins? 

Ahem, DID have a $50 water bill. Now it's a hundo plus. I wouldn't have even looked at the bill had I would've been getting charged roughly the same amount or a little more. 

24 minutes ago, Dnaguy said:

My guess is that b/c your water provider and your sewer provider is different, SARA has to get your 'average usage' from SAWS.

Considering that SARA and SAWS are government monopolies, they don't give a shit about speed or anything like that. So it likely takes them a year to talk to one another.

That WOULD make sense, but nope. SARA is just going to continue to report to SAWS $55+ each month for sewage until October of NEXT year, so they can get the winter average rate. But spot on for monopolies (shoutout a fuck you to cps energy while we're at it.)

 

And just to be clear, I understand why we pay for sewage and why it's lumped into the water bill each month. I just don't get why the 2 different sewage bureaucracy within the same city and why the drastic differences in price. But whatever, I'm stuck with the bs for 16 months...

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Dahobbs

Dahobbs 17,522

Posted
Posted (edited)
1 hour ago, BigHorn'13 said:

Rant incoming--

We moved within San Antonio back in March. Our water bill would be ~$40-50 a month which, I always thought was a tad bit high for water, but whatever. We move 10 minutes down the road to a slightly bigger home, and now our water bill is averaging a little over a hundred for these past couple of months. 

Both residences are connected for water via SAWS (San Antonio Water System) but the previous address' sewage is connected to SAWS, and my new address is connected to SARA. Again, we're still living within San Antonio city limits. 

Now with the new sewage provider in SARA, we're paying over $55 in sewage fees (not actual water usage) because the company has not calculated our "winterized average sewer rate," whatever the fuck that means and why the fuck those months,  in particular, are so important to determine such a rate. So we're paying this "unaveraged" rate until the months of December, January and February passes, at which point SARA will "average" those sewer rates (specific to my household), and the new price will be reflected in my bill in, wait for it... October of 2025! This process will also continue every year and no rebate/refund will be received should the rate be decreased. 

So my question is, well, like, wtf man? No recourse or anything. 

giphy.gif?cid=6c09b9521p6q0jaf89f3v6swc2

 

Your previous meter was broken so you were getting undercharged. Don't move next time. 

Edited by Dahobbs
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SquishMitten

SquishMitten 10,403

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This should serve as a good reminder to everyone to really limit your water usage as much as possible December - February. Make sure your irrigation systems are off, don’t fill your pool, don’t wash your cars at home, etc. The water man assumes all water used in those months is going down your pipes

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milkman

milkman 428

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This should serve as a good reminder to everyone to really limit your water usage as much as possible December - February. Make sure your irrigation systems are off, don’t fill your pool, don’t wash your cars at home, etc. The water man assumes all water used in those months is going down your pipes

Look into bullheading your meter if you have a bunch of irrigation for landscaping or auto pool top off.
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Welshy

Welshy 907

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Ok. I will explain it to you. I've been warned not to. I've been told my family will die. But I can't ignire what I know, even if those I love suffer.

 

It all started with an innicent night at a teen bar. I was about 10 years older than the norm, but wasn't there because I wanted to be. My "friend," Joline Stange, was with me, but were were just there for a meet. See, we were meeting a slavic guy who needed some weapons. Some very specific weapons. Not .45s, but .50, mortars, mines. In otherwords, he was at war, not a hobbiest. I told my lover Joline I didn't deal with Amatures. She told me her mothers life depended on every more she made. I told her goodbye darling. She told me please. Help me. I cried. And helped her. 

The slavic guy who needed weapons was angry. He was mad at Joline. Or becasue he sprainged his miniscus. Who knows. In the world of nefarious drug dealers and death makers, shit gets weird. I'm still not sure why Novac Jocovic trusted me. Or beseeched me. All I know was I refused the contract. Novac. Fuck you.

"Did Nadal talk to you?"

Someday, Novac, I will kill you. But not today.

Novac smiles. Of course he's used top death threats. Addidadas, Nike, Asiacs...some hard shit. NB doesn't fuck around.

"I'm untouchable."

Fuck you, Novac. Why do you feel like you can bow-up to us like this?

Novac looked to the side, looked down. Looked me dead in the eye. "Do yopu know Joseph Stang?"

I still don't know what it means. I just know someone claiming to be Joesph Stang's sister is...intimate with me. In control of me. Owns me. 

I don't know what to do. 

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Fudge Nuggets

Fudge Nuggets 19,187

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On 6/11/2024 at 3:38 PM, Dnaguy said:

There's no meter for usage on the shit that comes from your house. 

Imagine the threads on this site could create if there was.  Yearly shart thread would be nothing.  The prop bets in Gambling would be hilarious.

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