Understanding Your Bill

Total Amount Due

This is probably the most straightforward of all the information presented on your statement. It's the cost for water, sewer, and trash/recycle (sanitation) services. What makes up the total amount, however, can be somewhat complex and dependent on the various type of charges on the bill.

Service

The monthly bill is comprised of three main charges for services - water, sewer and trash/recycling (sanitation).

Water

This is the charge for all the potable (drinking) water you have used during any one month - inside and outside of the home. Every time you water your garden, wash your clothes or use water in your home, you pay a rate which is measured in 1,000 gallon increments. During the summer months, many residents realize a higher water bill because they use more water outside the home for things like watering their lawns. Water meters, located inside your home, provide the Board of Public Utilities with the information of how much water was used at your home/business. On average, water bills are based on 30 days, depending on holidays and how the billing cycle aligns.

The example above shows a total of 19,000 (6,000 + 13,000) gallons of water were used for the monthly billing cycle. 6,000 gallons at a rate of $4.05 per thousand gallons and 13,000 gallons at a rate of $5.01 per thousand gallons. The Board of Public Utilities has a tiered rate structure; the more water your use, the higher the bill.Click here for current water rates.

Sewer

This is the charge for all the water that drains to the sewer system from your home and piped to the water reclamation facilities. This includes all the waste water from activities in your home like washing dishes, showering, flushing toilets, laundry, etc. Residential sewer rates include both variable and fixed charges. Variable charges are calculated from each household's average water use billed for 3-months during the winter. Winter months are used because it best represents indoor water use which typically ends up going down the drain and into the wastewater system. These charges are calculated and applied to each home or business' statement in late spring for the coming year. A typical sewer use for a home is around 4,000 gallons. The example below shows 2,000 gallons sewer use.

Trash/Recycle (Sanitation)

The Board of Public Utilities bills and collects all sanitation fees on behalf of the City of Cheyenne. For trash and recycle information, please call (307)637-6440.

All families use water differently. Comparing bills with your neighbors might not give you the correct information because of the number of people in the household, lawn sizes vary or people have different water habits. However, if you notice a substantial increase in your normal statement, you may have a leak. Click here for finding and fixing leaks. If you do have a leak, please give us a call at 307-637-6460.