I was wondering what some of you pay for water each month? Back in the good old days we did not have one but now we are paying 700.00 a month!! It goes up every year and I feel like we are being grossly overcharged. I have tried calling the Public Service Commissioner and the office of consumer affairs and they said I should take them to small claims court!! Our store is 1200 square feet with 4 small booths and most of our business is take out and delivery. Any advice or comments would be appreciated.
It’s pretty simple to get a general idea if you are overcharged. What is your usage over the last 6 months, by month? Is it water and sewerage together? Then get a written statement of the water rates from the city/water authority. IMPORTANT: turn off ever water-using item in your store and be CERTAIN they are off. Then, go look at your water meter . . . if it moves even a little, then you have a water leak that needs attention and is svcking your pockets dry.
Is it possible your water service is serving additional neighbors in a multi-tenant situation? We had that issue as well in previous location.
Our utilities run around $800 average for water/sewer/electric/gas.
WOW I just looked at mine to see what the usage is I have had the same bill(within a buck or two) for 2 years. I am paying $25 a month that is for 350 cubic feet per month. at $.075 per ft
Now maybe that is just cause of the town I am in pricing wise but we are open at 4pm to 10 7 days a week.
You may want to look at your ice machine!!! My bill was running me almost $325 a month at same rate above. It was the valves on the old ice machine was just dumping water in the drain. Got new machine for $1500 and water bill dropped to $25.
That’s insane. Where r u?
We’re about $75 a month with a 20 year old toilet and self-serve soda – sewage included.
Do you have any water cooled equipment ?
How about mini water amusement park in the back?
Check you toilet also. A toilet that runs can use 1000 gallons or more per day!
with my restaurant and bar (toilets being using all the time with auto=flushers) we pay about $150 mo.
had the same thing happen…you would be suprised how expensive a running toilet can cost you
We pay about $200 per YEAR.
dj2134, PLEASE let us know what the water usage is listed as on your bill. I cecked here in my town, and I would need ot use something like 70,000 to 80,000 gallons to pay that much. I usually run under 3000 per month.
After getting bitten with a 1400 water bill a few months ago, I called the city and they came out to check our meter and to see if they could locate a leak. First time said no leaks, meter was good…second time found it was our water cooled ice machine.
If you have a water cooled iced machine have it checked out. We ended up getting an air cooled and water bill is now about 200.
Also, check the flaps in your bathrooms easy to fix.
Kris
Also the leak was not visible when we checked out the machine but when the ice machine repair guy came it was obvious. (Not to mention water cooled cost more to operate)
Kris that is the exact thing I had going on! And yes check the TOILETS they can also be a huge drain
Yeah what a relief to see the next bill…I will never buy a water cooled again…live and learn! 
I do not get a monthly water bill, I just have the amount listed with the cam and rent. Every year they send a statement and last year they said we used 665,100 gallons for the year which made our adjusted total for 08 to increase about $100.00 bringing my total to $690.00 a month for 09. Now they are suing me because I have yet to make a payment for the $1228.00 extra for 2008. About 8 months ago I did get a guy from the water authority to give me an amount for the entire shopping center usage for a month and he said it was only 100,000-150,000 gallons per month (Publix grocery is our anchor store) Thanks for all the help. I forgot how awesome this site is!!!
Wow that is crazy!!! Have you talked to the other renters?
I feel for you. Doggone, you seem to be in a strange and vulnerable position with the billing and utilities. Something may be off kilter if it is indeed the water bill that you are being asked to pay out.
I think I am confused, though. Is the $690 a month JUST water, or is it the total CAM and water combined cost?
If they are claiming that you use 55K+ gallons a month, then you may have that use, or you may have a water ‘leakage’ problem somewhere.
Jimminy Christmas! You are getting into a lawsuit over $1200?
Get you priorities straight and pay that bill. Pay it under protest pending resolution of your issues but freaking pay it. You are risking going into default on your lease and LOOSING YOUR BUSINESS over a silly number.
Unless the 690.00 is the entire CAM plus water and sewer (which still seems high) I would suspect what Nick said early is a possibility. Take a look around and see if there is a meter for each unit in the center. Another suggestion may be to shut off the water to your store at the meter in order to “make repairs” and see who screams they lost water. You may be paying for water and sewer going to other tenants. We are delivery and carryout only so no plates to wash and we use roughly 5000 per month. Our current rates cost us about $80.00/month water and sewer.
One of my employees owns a house which is actually an old water tank converted to a house. His property, which he inherited from his dad, was an old town run water company at one time. He now gets his water from the county. Last winter he had an underground pipe break. When he had the water shut off at the meter, three of his nieghbors lost water, including a house on the other side of the street. His dad had run the water into existing piping on the site and my guy was paying for water for neighbors he doesn’t even like. It was kind of strange having the neighbors all asking us how long it was going to take while we were digging up the pipe. We eventually ran a new run of pipe direct from the meter to his house. He is a single man that does not cook at home. Now his water bill is a fraction of what it was.
Rick