Are Water Budgets Right for your Agency?

Water budget rate structures are increasingly being considered to meet conservation goals and reduce waste. Water budget rate structures provide a reasonable level of water use to reduce waste. This structure can provide certain advantages over conventional inclining rate structures by providing an adequate level of water for each customer based on various factors including weather. The focus of water budget rate structures is to promote efficiency in use. There are significant challenges to implementing water budget rates. Agencies need to be aware of the issues, data requirements, public outreach, and timing.