Seaton Springs Homeowners Association, Inc.

MSD offers drought rebates

Aug 25, 2005

Customers will see savings on Fall bills.

Residents will see a rebate on their first Metropolitan Sewer District bills this fall because of drought conditions this summer, according to Mayor Jerry Abramson and MSD director, Bud Schardein.

Average rainfall last month in Louisville was two inches below normal. The first half of August has seen similar rainfall totals with little significant relief in the forecast. For the year, average rainfall is approximately four inches below normal.

?“Mayor Abramson asked me last week to research whether residents have seen dramatic increases in usage this summer when compared to last summer,?” said Schardein. The results of the preliminary review show residential water usage has increased by an average of 3.9 percent since July 2004.

?“The increase can be attributed to a spike in water usage to keep lawns and landscaping alive during this summer?’s heat wave,?” said Schardein.

Executives reported the increased usage skewed the equation used to calculate the summer MSD bills. The additional water being used by residents is going in to the ground and not the sewer system.

?“As a result, MSD will credit each customer?’s account by up to 5 percent for the months of July and August,?” said Mayor Jerry Abramson.

The credit will appear on customer?’s bills in September, October or November ?– depending on the billing cycle. An average household will save between $10 and $15.

MSD regularly applies a 15 percent discount to water usage charges on summer, spring and fall bills when residential customers are watering lawns, washing cars and irrigating gardens ?– water usage that does not add volume to the sewer system. This fall?’s drought rebate is an additional savings.

This is the first time since the drought of 1999 that MSD has offered additional rebates.