SD1 spent nearly two years researching our sanitary sewer service costs and rates, and concluded that the current structure’s focus exclusively on water usage is out of alignment given the high fixed costs of providing sanitary sewer service. The new system spreads fixed costs, which do not change based on how much water our customers use, equally among all customers.
Before a customer uses a single drop of water, SD1 has to maintain and operate every pipe, pump station and treatment plant 24 hours a day, 365 days a year to make it possible for you to flush your toilet, wash your dishes, or take a shower. Low-volume users will see their bills go up because under the previous system they were paying well below the actual cost of providing service, which has been estimated at $40 per customer per month. Low-volume customers will still pay less than high-volume users, but that gap will be shrinking over the next few years.