Savings Guides: Water & Sewer Bill Review
How to Review Your Water and Sewer Bill To Identify Cost-Cutting Opportunities
Your water and sewer bill may contain several charges that affect the total cost you pay each month. This guide explains what to look for, why sewer charges often follow water meter readings, and how Water Flow Innovation reviews bills to determine how much the FCD (Flow Conditioning Device) will reduce your water and or sewer bill cost.
Direct answer: A commercial water and sewer bill has a few key sections worth checking: metered usage (the basis for every other charge), water charges (usually tiered by volume), sewer charges (typically calculated from metered water intake, not separately measured — meaning any meter over-read inflates both bills at once), base/service charges (fixed, tied to meter size), and any municipal fees like stormwater surcharges. The most useful check is comparing metered usage against your facility's actual operations — if usage is climbing without a corresponding change in occupancy, production, or hours, that's a signal worth investigating, since meter over-registration from entrained air and turbulence is a real, correctable, and often overlooked cause.
Key Point: Your water meter reading may affect both your water bill and your sewer bill.
Why Reviewing the Bill Matters
Many building owners look only at the final amount due. But the real savings opportunity is usually found inside the bill details: usage charges, sewer charges, rate tiers, meter fees, service charges, and billing method.
The FCD is designed to lower billed water and sewer cost by improving flow conditions around the metered water line. To estimate the savings opportunity, Water Flow Innovation reviews the actual bill structure and how your utility calculates charges.
This matters because a reduction in the billable water amount may also reduce sewer cost in many cases when sewer or wastewater is calculated from the water meter reading.
Remember: Do not just look at the total bill. Look at what is driving the total: water usage, sewer calculation, meter fees, rate tiers, and whether sewer is tied to metered water.
Bill Review
A proper water bill review helps identify how much the FCD can reduce water cost, sewer cost, or both.
The Main Charges to Look For
Most water and sewer bills include several line items. These are the most important ones to review when looking for savings opportunities.
Water Usage Charge
This is usually based on the amount of water registered by the water meter during the billing period.
Sewer/Wastewater Charge
In many cases, this charge is based on the same metered water amount used for the water bill.
Meter or Service Fees
Some utilities charge fixed fees based on meter size, account type, service connection, or billing period.
Tiered Rates
Some bills increase in cost as water usage rises. Higher usage tiers can make savings more valuable.
Important: The Flow Conditioning Device (FCD) has the biggest saving impact when the water and sewer charges are connected to the water meter reading. If sewer charges are flat-rated or calculated differently, sewer savings may or may not apply.
How Water and Sewer Bills Are Often Connected
In many utility billing systems, the water meter reading does more than create the water charge. It may also drive the sewer charge.
1
Water Enters
Water enters the facility through the metered water line.
2
Meter Registers
The water meter records the water and air volume used during the billing period.
3
Water Is Billed
The utility applies water rates to the metered usage amount.
4
Sewer Is Calculated
In many cases, sewer or wastewater is calculated from the same water usage.
5
Savings Can Multiply
If billable water drops, sewer cost may also drop when sewer follows water usage.
What to Find on Your Bill
Water Flow Innovation requests copies of the water bills in order to accurately access what percentage of savings will be from your total water usage or sewer bill.
| Bill Detail | Where It May Appear | Why It Matters | How It Helps the Review |
|---|---|---|---|
| Billing Period | Top of the bill or account summary. | Shows whether usage is monthly, quarterly, or another cycle. | Helps calculate average monthly cost and usage. |
| Water Usage | Usage summary, consumption, meter reading, CCF, gallons, or cubic feet. | Shows the billable water amount. | Helps estimate water savings potential. |
| Water Charges | Water service, water usage, commodity charge, consumption charge. | Shows what the customer pays for metered water. | Helps calculate monthly and annual water cost. |
| Sewer/Wastewater Charges | Sewer, wastewater, sanitary, treatment, disposal, or sewer usage line item. | Shows whether sewer is a major part of total cost. | Helps determine whether sewer savings may apply. |
| Meter Size | Account detail, service detail, meter information, or utility profile. | Meter size can affect fixed fees and installation planning. | Helps with FCD sizing and savings review. |
| Rate Tiers | Usage blocks, tiered rate tables, or charge breakdown. | Higher tiers may make each unit of water more expensive. | Helps show whether savings are more valuable at higher use levels. |
| Fixed Fees | Base charge, meter charge, service charge, readiness-to-serve fee. | Fixed charges may not decrease when usage changes. | Helps separate reducible charges from fixed charges. |
| Irrigation or Deduct Meter | Separate meter line, irrigation account, deduct meter credit, sewer credit. | Can affect how sewer cost is calculated. | Helps avoid overestimating sewer savings. |
What is Really Needed: A 12-month billing history is better than one bill because it shows seasonal changes, usage spikes, and average monthly savings potential.
Charges That May Be Reducible vs. Not Reducible
Not every line item on a utility bill can be reduced. A proper review separates usage-based charges from fixed charges.
More Likely to Be Reducible
These charges may be affected when the billable water amount is reduced.
Water usage charges
Water consumption charges
Usage-based sewer charges
Wastewater charges based on water meter usage
Tiered usage charges
High-volume usage charges
Less Likely to Be Reducible
These charges may be affected when the billable water amount is reduced.
Fixed account fees
Base service charges
Meter service charges
Readiness-to-serve fees
Flat sewer charges
Taxes or regulatory fees
Bottom Line: The biggest savings estimate comes from the part of the bill that can actually change.
How The FCD Fits Into the Bill Review
Most water and sewer bills include several line items. These are the most important ones to review when looking for savings opportunities.
1
Bill Size
The larger the monthly water and sewer bill, the greater the savings and faster the ROI.
2
Billing Method
We review whether sewer is based on metered water usage, flat-rated, separately metered, or calculated another way.
3
Meter-Side Conditions
We review whether the water system has conditions where the FCD may improve flow stability and reduce billable cost.
4
Installation Location
We review whether the FCD can be installed after the water meter and before the PRV for the largest water and sewer cost reduction.
5
Savings Estimate
We estimate potential monthly savings, annual savings, and payback period based on the actual bill structure.
6
Decision Support
We help determine how great the savings will be based upon the building’s water and sewer usage and provide an estimated ROI timeframe.
Common Bill Review Questions
These are the questions that help us determine how much the FCD will cut your water and or sewer utility bill.
| Question | Why It Matters | What It Tells Us |
|---|---|---|
| How much is the monthly water bill? | The higher the bill, the more meaningful a percentage savings can become. | Potential water savings value. |
| How much is the monthly sewer bill? | Sewer can sometimes be as much as or more than the water charge. | Potential combined water and sewer savings. |
| Is sewer based on metered water? | This determines whether sewer savings may follow water savings. | Whether sewer cost may also drop. |
| Are there tiered rates? | High usage tiers can make each additional unit of water more expensive. | Whether savings may have greater value at higher usage levels. |
| Are there fixed charges? | Fixed charges may not change even if water usage charges decrease. | Which charges should be excluded from savings estimates. |
| Is there an irrigation or deduct meter? | This can affect whether sewer is charged on all water or only certain water use. | How sewer savings should be calculated. |
| What is the meter size? | Meter size affects installation planning, fixed fees, and system scale. | FCD sizing and installation planning. |
| Where is the PRV located? | Best performance is often after the meter and before the PRV. | Whether the current plumbing supports best installation. |
Calculate Your Savings — See How Much You Will Save On Water Cost and Your Estimated ROI
What to Send for a Faster Review
These items provide us with an accurate determination of what size and type of FCD is required.
Billing Documents
Most recent water bill
Most recent sewer or wastewater bill
12-month bill history if available
Usage history in gallons, CCF, cubic feet, or meter units
Rate schedule if available
Any separate irrigation, deduct meter, or sewer credit info.
Property and Plumbing Information
Facility type
Water meter size
Main pipe size
Photos of the water meter area
Photos of the PRV area
Incoming and regulated pressure if known
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does Water Flow Innovation need my water and sewer bill?
Can sewer savings be included in the review?
Will every line item on my bill go down?
What if my sewer bill is flat-rated?
Does the FCD require the building to use less water?
Request Your Water and Sewer Bill Review
When you see how much will be cut from your water cost alone (after calculating your cost savings, contact us and send us your water and sewer bill details, facility type, and photos of the meter/PRV area. Water Flow Innovation will review your bill structure and help determine how much the FCD (Flow Conditioning Device) may reduce your utility cost.