Water meter why so much$$$$


  #1  
Old 06-24-05, 06:52 PM
J
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Farmersville Texas
Posts: 161
Upvotes: 0
Received 0 Upvotes on 0 Posts
Water meter why so much$$$$

Can someone explain to me why a water meter cost so much money? For a meter and to bore through the rock road I live on to get the line to my property I'm looking at almost $5000.
 
  #2  
Old 06-24-05, 11:03 PM
majakdragon's Avatar
Member
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: N.E. Arkansas
Posts: 7,475
Upvotes: 0
Received 1 Upvote on 1 Post
I think you answered your own question when you said "Bore under a rock road." Meters are not that expensive. Will you own the meter or is it the water companies? It sounds like you are dealing with a Private water company or the owner of a private water line that charges to tap into it. Good luck.
 
  #3  
Old 06-24-05, 11:57 PM
J
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Farmersville Texas
Posts: 161
Upvotes: 0
Received 0 Upvotes on 0 Posts
No just the oposite. They want a thousand to bore the road and almost $3000 for the meter.
 
  #4  
Old 06-25-05, 12:24 AM
majakdragon's Avatar
Member
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: N.E. Arkansas
Posts: 7,475
Upvotes: 0
Received 1 Upvote on 1 Post
I am REALLY confused here. I worked for a major water department up North in Ohio and we got a $500.00 deposit for a 3" meter that the farmers used to irrigate their fields. Even that was higher than the cost of the meter. What size meter are you getting? Can you purchase your own meter? I think I would have to inquire as to why the cost is SO high. There has to be a reason, whether it makes sense or not, and I would get an answer. Do you then own the meter? That is not really a good situation if they can say it's not working properly and force you to have it repaired or replaced. You have my curiosity working now. Hope you will check and let us know why the cost is so high.
 
  #5  
Old 06-25-05, 01:36 AM
P
Member
Join Date: Sep 2000
Location: Tujunga, CA, USA
Posts: 196
Upvotes: 0
Received 0 Upvotes on 0 Posts
Hi Jim,
I am wondering if the 3,000 is there standard charge for installing a new water service and the 1000 is a surcharge for the additional work boring under the road. It takes more than a meter and a hole under the road to provide water. How far is the water main from you property?
 
  #6  
Old 06-25-05, 02:48 AM
J
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Farmersville Texas
Posts: 161
Upvotes: 0
Received 0 Upvotes on 0 Posts
The line is on the other side of the road from me. This is in the country also. The road is a one lane rock road. I dont know if I would own the meter or not. I will find out. When I say they want $1000 to bore the road I gaurantee you all they are going to do is take a back hoe and dig a trinch across the road. I'm in north east Texas and everyone I talk to about this says that $2000 to $3000 is the normal price for a meter. I buy the meter from them and they install it on the water line that is across the road from me about 40 ft and then run the line from the meter to the other side of the road to my property and i'm looking at over $4000 before I ever hook up line from my house to theirs.CRAZY. I will get more information and post it.
 
  #7  
Old 06-25-05, 07:05 AM
notuboo's Avatar
Member
Join Date: Sep 2001
Location: Kansas City MO
Posts: 1,699
Upvotes: 0
Received 0 Upvotes on 0 Posts
Chances are, you are on a rural water district. The cost for getting water available to your property costs so much in the initial installation of just getting customers, who are spread out everywhere, and then laying the water lines to serve those customers. As more people either built new homes in the country and wanted wanted water or existing property owners who later changed their mind and decided they wanted "city" water, the cost is still charged to them from this initial outlay.

Your water usage cost will probably be much higher than the average city also.
Repairs and routine maintenance on the system has few users to spread these costs onto also.

A city, which has many more hookups per mile, is greatly lower in cost to operate, per user.
 
  #8  
Old 06-25-05, 07:57 PM
J
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Farmersville Texas
Posts: 161
Upvotes: 0
Received 0 Upvotes on 0 Posts
Here is my application and rules and prices. I wil leave blank where the name of the town goes.

______ Special Utility District

The following amounts are payable and due before a meter
will be installed:

Impact Fee---$1400.00 Developers Impact Fee---$2400.00

Instalation Fee--$600.00 Instalation Fee--$600.00
Customer Deposit---$250.00 Customer Deposit--$250.00

Total $2250.00 Total $3250.00

Water Rates
0-2000 Gallons $18.00 Minimum Monthly Rate
2001-10,000 Gal $325Per one thousand Gallons
Over 10,000 Gal $4.00 per Thousand

Then you have your Service Investigation Fee
Your memebership fee ---$250.00 for each service unit.
Easement Fee.
Instalation fee. Standard instalation fee per meter instalation is $600.00
Equity Buy-In fee---Equity buy-in fee is $1,400.00

Monthly Charges
Meter Size 5/8" x 3/4" Monthly Rate
5/8" x 3/4" 1.0 $18.00
1" 2.5 $36.00
1 1/2" 5 $72.00
2" 8 $144.00


There are a few more fees like late payment, cancelled check ect. Are these prices crazy or what?
Meter equivalents
 
  #9  
Old 06-25-05, 08:04 PM
Rainbird's Avatar
Member
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: California
Posts: 355
Upvotes: 0
Received 0 Upvotes on 0 Posts
Have you thought about drilling a well?
 
  #10  
Old 06-25-05, 08:31 PM
J
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Farmersville Texas
Posts: 161
Upvotes: 0
Received 0 Upvotes on 0 Posts
Rainbird, just so happens There is a well and pump house 250ft from my house. Already bought a new pump and pvc. I dont know how or I would post some pics of my little project.
 
 

Thread Tools
Search this Thread
 
Ask a Question
Question Title:
Description:
Your question will be posted in: