City advises Longview residents to monitor water usage

Longview News-Journal
By Yoleyne Romero yromero@news-journal.com
December 2, 2022

The city of Longview is advising residents to watch their water usage through January, which determines sewer charges.

According to information from the city, charges for sewer water — the wastewater discharged from homes to the sewer treatment plant — is not metered. Instead, rates are based on household water usage during the colder months of November, December and January.

City spokesman Richard Yeakley said the reason winter months are used as a measure is because they provide a more accurate picture of water that's actually entering the sewer system. Without variables to consider such as residents using water to fill their pools or water their yards during the summer, the winter months are a more precise reflection of water usage, he said.

The total gallon amount of water used per household during November through January is added up and then divided by the number of months to calculate the average water usage.

The Longview City Council approved a minimal rate increase for water and wastewater services in the 2019-20 budget to the current rate of $3.95. Before that, the rate had been unchanged since October 2014.

"We have a cost of services model that takes a look at all the operational, maintenance and capital costs for water and sewer service," Yeakley said. "All that is taken into account when we determine what the rates for water and sewer service will be."

Rates differ based on household size and whether the residence is inside or outside the city limits. 

For details on water and sewer rates and fees, go to longviewtexas.gov/2550/Rates-and-Fees .