PSA: For pools being filled in the winter...

[And5555]

Don't know how many people know this, but it's a fairly common practice for sewage rates to be determined based on water usage during winter months. That is, seeing as how you probably aren't running your sprinklers too much, a fairly easy characterization of how much water actually goes down your pipes can be found in winter months.

If you are filling a pool during this time, it might misrepresent your actual water usage and cause you to have a whole years worth of higher sewage bill.

You might check with your biller as a they are often willing to exclude a particular month or change the months that they look at for such an exception. Similar case for a slow leak that built up a large water bill.

This isnt a HUGE difference, but with say 20k gallons of extra usage, you might be able to pay for your pool beer for the year by making that phone call (or maybe not, I guess I don't know how much you drink).

 

[JoyfulNoise]

In Tucson, it's Dec/Jan/Feb. I actually got burned by this last year as I developed an irrigation leak that December (2014). I wasn't paying attention to my water bill and I incurred excess usage over that time period. Then, in the Spring when I usually ramp up my irrigation I did not notice the leak at first. I happened to walk near my back wall where one of the lines run at just the time the irrigation was running and that's when I noticed the huge soggy spot in the ground. There was 1" long crack in one of my 1/2" lines. I tried to get Tucson water to reduce my sewerage rate but they refused as I fixed the line myself and would not accept my word for it.

Well, lesson learned for sure. Now I walk my property every month and inspect my four irrigation zones. I just recently replaced 50ft of 1/2" line that had a crack in it; it ran in a sleeve under my driveway. The two ends where the sleeves came out from the driveway would pool with water. My irrigation lines have been trouble free for many years but last year was a big year for leaks


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk,16k gal SWG pool (All Pentair), QuadDE100 Filter, Taylor K-2006

 

[And5555]

In Tucson, it's Dec/Jan/Feb. I actually got burned by this last year as I developed an irrigation leak that December (2014). I wasn't paying attention to my water bill and I incurred excess usage over that time period. Then, in the Spring when I usually ramp up my irrigation I did not notice the leak at first. I happened to walk near my back wall where one of the lines run at just the time the irrigation was running and that's when I noticed the huge soggy spot in the ground. There was 1" long crack in one of my 1/2" lines. I tried to get Tucson water to reduce my sewerage rate but they refused as I fixed the line myself and would not accept my word for it.

Well, lesson learned for sure. Now I walk my property every month and inspect my four irrigation zones. I just recently replaced 50ft of 1/2" line that had a crack in it; it ran in a sleeve under my driveway. The two ends where the sleeves came out from the driveway would pool with water. My irrigation lines have been trouble free for many years but last year was a big year for leaks


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk,16k gal SWG pool (All Pentair), QuadDE100 Filter, Taylor K-2006

That sucks. I'm in the process of fixing all of my irrigation lines from my pool build. Crazy how much damage was done. I already replaced a bunch of pipe, 3 valves, and had to wire my electrical around the whole patio since the patio guys cut the wire. I still have a bunch more lines to do now that I have the main figured out - all the zone lines. Was also going to just start over on one zone. I put 27 yards of dirt in to grow grass back, but I need irrigation to help the grass grow. I totally did not expect to basically have to redo my whole sprinkler system (9 zones) with this build. Never thought I'd figure out how to do all this repair either - not as hard as expected. The digging is the hard part. Think I'm gonna hire a day laborer to help dig. Here in Austin, you have to dig with a pick axe.

 

[JoyfulNoise]

Exactly the same in Tucson. If you want to do any significant landscaping/planting work that requires digging more the 2" into the ground then you have to have an electric jackhammer with both spade shovel and chisel tips.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk,16k gal SWG pool (All Pentair), QuadDE100 Filter, Taylor K-2006

 

[pikeman]

In my town that cycle ends in February. My fill is tomorrow . . .