Utility Bill Question

[KarlCarrera]

Yes I did a search, but I found no specific answer(s) to my question, so here goes.

If it's just none of my business, I can appreciate that.

I own a 2500 sq. ft. home in Co. Spgs. Currently I pay about $300/mo for four services. electric, gas, water & wastewater. No swimming pool, no A.C., F.A.G. furnance. 11,500 Sq. ft. lot, w/ grass spread over about 3-3,500 sq. ft of the lot.

Due to the economy, a few in the municipal gov. are suggesting that we sell some (read all) of the utility operations to an investor owned company. This would bring in some needed cash for the city ($500m-1b), but is truly a short term solution to a long term problem.

My argument is that our rates (all) will most certainly rise. Colorado Springs Utilities is a private municipality (no dividends to pay) and our service has always been very good.

So again, if you don't mind, what do you pay for a similar sized home, for electric, water, gas, and wastewater? And is your provider an R.E.A., I.O.U., or municipality

Just trying to open some eyes.

Thanks
Karl

[Neilk]

What are your current rates for each?

I would have to agree with your assessment that this is a "a short term solution to a long term problem." The promise economies of scale, but do rates ever really go down or stay the same?

[KarlCarrera]

I agree, we don't usually see them go down.

Gas - $55, Water - $110, Electric - $97, WW - $34

This would have been for April as May's bill isn't here yet.

Thanks
Karl

[RWebb]

my house is not comparable, nor is my climate
but I GUARANTEE that an investor owned co. is going to drive your rates WAY UP

just compare Oregon rates (publicly owned) vs. Wash. rates (mostly private), even beyond the fundamental point that the investors in an investor owned co. are going to want... a return on their investment

[red-beard]

In Texas, we have competition for electricty, so my rate is 8.9 cents per kWh. This varies from a low of about $125/mth winter to $350/mth summer.

Water: Private Company, or at least administrated by one: ~100/mth
Gas: Private, but monopoly ~ Winter $60-70/mth, summer, $10-25/mth
Water water is part of Water, along with trash pickup

[TimT]

Am a bit surprised at the utility costs... I was under the impression that where I live, Nassau County, New York had amongst the highest utility rates in the country.


My house and lot are similar sized my utilities are as follows:

Water = $15/mo

Oil= $150/mo

Gas= $20/mo

Electric= $60/mo

Sewage= $25/mo

Property taxes are another story $750/mo ( I deducted the sewage as it is included in my property bill)

[on2wheels52]

My house is closer to 3200 sq ft; elect runs $160 (co-op), water 45. No gas or sewer.
Jim

[JAR0023]

2150 sq ft. North MS. All electric house. Power is from local Co-Op. Water is from private local water system.

$15 - $35 per month for water depending on if we water the yard.
Septic sytem. F.O.C.
$185 - $215 per month for electricity for everything in the house. 11.? cents per kwh.


-J

[KarlCarrera]

I appreciate the feedback guys.

Please keep it coming, especially the comparison's. Someone needs to tell these people how expensive this is going to be.

For me it's like selling the golden goose at a bargain price, and guess what, once the goose is gone, it's gone.

If these folks around here don't believe that an IOU (Investor Owned Utility) won't want to get their money back as soon as possible, their crazy.
Sure, we "may" be guaranteed existing rates for a year or two, but after that, hold on to your arse's.

Why is it always short term solutions? Never mind, I know the answer

Thanks
Karl

[red-beard]

Why do you think that just because a company makes a profit, you will be charged more than if a government does it? There is no incentive to reduce costs for a government owned utility. Sometimes the government can have "other" ideas, which might be more costly (Solar and Wind mandates).

In Indiana, they took the toll roads and sold the operations and maintenance to a company. They are not allow to raise rates. But they do get a cut of the tolls. The result, they reduced operating costs while improving road conditions. More people use the roads, the company makes money and the bonds are being paid off at a faster rate than expected.

[TimT]

I hope that this discussion can be kept from the cesspool that is PARF....

I feel that Municipalities selling infrastructure is kicking the can down the road.. I have read of some really beneficial agreements between the private operators and the Municipality... I would hope the agreements are always win win...

My worries are that these irreversible ...when the salad days return how to get back the roads, and various plants that were sold at a premium?

Legacy costs are the killer... pensions... god bless all that benefit from them, governments, companies can not continue to pay people who been retired for 20 years at 3/4 salary etc..

[WeathersWe]

I was under the impression that where I live

[A930Rocket]

Our power bill is $270 a month (with elec heat pump and AC) for a 2250 SF house. AC is on it's last legs and needs to be upgraded.

Water is $67.00

[island_dude]

My house is about 2500sqft. I have gas heat, with forced air. My combined electric and gas bill is around $200-220. Water / sewage is around $25-30. Trash pick up is buried in the property tax, but think it is about $375 / year.

Services for gas and electric are private. There is competition on the gas. It is possible for me to get "lower rates", but you get locked into contracts that are very lopsided and hard to get out of.

[GH85Carrera]

2,700 ft house in Oklahoma City. Central forced air conditioning with a gas furnaces. No septic system to ever worry about. I have a separate water well just for the yard sprinkler system.

Water, sewer & trash pickup are provided by the city = $45 per month.
The city provides a recycle bin that I can put newspaper, plastic and glass and aluminum in. It is picked up on a separate trash truck one a week, same day as trash day. I get two large roll around trash bins that I can put yard waste or household trash in. The city also accepts hazardous waste like antifreeze & oil & paint for free at a local drop off site.

Electric averaged over 12 months = $ 130
We never open the windows, we both have allergies. I heat & air condition my garage if necessary anytime I am working out there.

Natural gas averaged over 12 months = $ 55

I pay more for cable tv & high speed internet than any other service, but that is 100% optional.

[Neilk]

Karl,

I see a lot of posts about costs, but what you really need to do is get the Kw/h rates of the surrounding communities and compare that to what you are paying. Do the same with water and trash. Comparing total costs isn't going to tell you anything when someone might have brand new AC units and keep the house at 75 and someone else has 20 year old units and a 68 degree average temperature.

Are your current rates higher or lower than those communities? If it is lower, perhaps your utility needs to raise the rates a little. Is your local utility breaking even or do they want the cash to prop up other areas of the budget? If the latter, then then need to look at those areas rather than selling off assets.

[cashflyer]

2800 sqft in upstate SC.
No gas, sewer or water bill for me, so I can only offer my electric as comparison.

Annually, my electric averages to about $130 per month. Though this is high compared to some others posted here, others pay for oil or gas - my heat is electric.

[LakeCleElum]

2,500 sq ft house in the Mountains of Wa

$150/mo = Electric
$0 = Water (have well)
$0 = Sewer (Septic)
$5/mo = Garbage (haul my own)

Seems all of this would vary a lot with climate?

[KarlCarrera]

Again, Thanks folks.

Good discussion. Good info. Just under 9kw/h for me.

Kw/h rates do vary, no question. Even here we have differing rates for commercial vs. residential.

I do not have the kw/h for Denver (Excel) or Pueblo (Black Hills Energy), but have relatives in both towns and their monthly (combined) utility bills are significantly higher. Climate is similar.

Our utility is healthy, it's the City that is hurting. Although Springs Utilities is an "Enterprise" of the city, the population of Colorado Springs voted to "separate" the 2 entities in the mid 90's.
This way the city would need to be more responsible with current revenue's and not depend on Utilities for handout's when they came up short of money.
Possibly forcing utilities to raise rates to cover the shortfall..........not new taxes from the city, just higher rates from utilities. Hmmm. Just what the folks here voted against.
Rant over.

Tim, $750/mo in property taxes?? WOW! I'm at about $1600/yr

Absolutely, location can/does matter. But, usage is the biggie. IMHO. As each of the four kids left my bill went down significantly. As Neil stated the cost per Kw/h, gal, or c.f. is a better comparison, but I didn't expect you folks to go into that detail for me. That's why I was just looking for combined totals.

No offense Neil.

Thanks
Karl
88 Targa

[slakjaw]

Off topic but there is a guy who lives near me who has gone through every electrical item in his house and calculated what his kwh usage should be. He is convinced that the electric company is ripping him off or his meter is out of calibration.