City of Hillsboro

Re: Revdex.com Complaint ID [redacted] Dear Mr[redacted] , Thank you for contacting the City of [redacted] about your utility billHaving reviewed the utility bill you included with your submission, there are a few items I would like to clarify that might help answer some of your concerns In review of the bill you submitted, which totals at $435.07, the charges on your bill are made up of four separate utilities- water charges, transportation charges, sanitary sewer charges, and surface water management (SWM) chargesIt sounds like your concerns are regarding the water and sewer/SWM portion of your billBelow is a brief explanation of how each of those items are calculated Your water base charge is billed per CCF (gallons) and is based on the meter readingThe usage charge can change from bill to bill and adjust up or down, depending on water use for that billing periodThis charge funds the costs associated with water purchased, transmission lines, storage, water treatment, and also pays a portion of the operation and replacement cost of the system Your sewer base charge is billed according to the number of equivalent dwelling units (EDU's) in your buildingEDU’s are based on the number of fixtures (sinks, toilets, drains)This charge is used to pay for the piping required to collect sewage and for the construction and operation of Clean Water Service wastewater treatment facilities Your sewer usage is based on your wintertime water usage averageThis wintertime average is adjusted each July to establish the next years billing Your surface water management charge pays for drainage and water quality programs including street sweeping, ditch maintenance, storm drain cleaning, emergency flood response, education, and erosion control enforcementThese charges are measure in equivalent service units (ESU's)ESU’s measure impervious area for example parking lots I believe the majority of the confusion regarding your bill is due to the difference between the usage numbers on the water usage charge and the sewer usage chargeMany people compare these numbers and don't understand why they don't matchThese numbers don't match because you water usage is determined by a water meter at your location that monitors how much water is used each bill cycleThe sewer usage is based on your residence's winter water averageThis is the average amount of water you use from November through April, which is traditionally the lowest water usage time of the year for customersReducing the amount of water used during these months would be one way to help reduce your sewer bill overall According to our records of your water meter reading (what you use in water), and the equivalent dwelling units and equivalent service units we have on record for your property, you are being billed correctly [redacted] *** [redacted] Page You mentioned in your letter that you had talked with our Billing Department and they would not adjust the sewer without charging a large inspection feeWe don't have a record of your conversation, so without knowing who you talked with specifically I can't speak to what you were toldWhat I can help clear up is that the City of [redacted] does not charge for any of the inspections it conductsIf you believe you are being charged incorrectly for the number of fixtures you have in your building, the City would be happy to schedule an inspection, at no cost to you, to see if there are any discrepancies in what is recorded I hope this helps clear up some of the questions regarding your billIf you would like to discuss further, please feel free to give our Utility Billing Division a call at 503-615-or stop by our office located on the first floor of the [redacted] Tiffany B [redacted] Public Information Liaison City of Hillsboro Re: Revdex.com Complaint ID [redacted]

Re: Revdex.com Complaint ID [redacted]
Dear Mr.[redacted],
Thank you for contacting the City of [redacted] about your utility bill. Having reviewed the utility bill you included with your submission, there are a few items I would like to clarify that might help answer some of your...

concerns.
In review of the bill you submitted, which totals at $435.07, the charges on your bill are made up of four separate utilities- water charges, transportation charges, sanitary sewer charges, and surface water management (SWM) charges. It sounds like your concerns are regarding the water and sewer/SWM portion of your bill. Below is a brief explanation of how each of those items are calculated.
Your water base charge is billed per CCF (748 gallons) and is based on the meter reading. The usage charge can change from bill to bill and adjust up or down, depending on water use for that billing period. This charge funds the costs associated with water purchased, transmission lines, storage, water treatment, and also pays a portion of the operation and replacement cost of the system.
Your sewer base charge is billed according to the number of equivalent dwelling units (EDU's) in your building. EDU’s are based on the number of fixtures (sinks, toilets, drains). This charge is used to pay for the piping required to collect sewage and for the construction and operation of Clean Water Service wastewater treatment facilities.
Your sewer usage is based on your wintertime water usage average. This wintertime average is adjusted each July to establish the next years billing.
Your surface water management charge pays for drainage and water quality programs including street sweeping, ditch maintenance, storm drain cleaning, emergency flood response, education, and erosion control enforcement. These charges are measure in equivalent service units (ESU's). ESU’s measure impervious area for example parking lots.
I believe the majority of the confusion regarding your bill is due to the difference between the usage numbers on the water usage charge and the sewer usage charge. Many people compare these numbers and don't understand why they don't match. These numbers don't match because you water usage is determined by a water meter at your location that monitors how much water is used each bill cycle. The sewer usage is based on your residence's winter water average. This is the average amount of water you use from November through April, which is traditionally the lowest water usage time of the year for customers. Reducing the amount of water used during these months would be one way to help reduce your sewer bill overall.
According to our records of your water meter reading (what you use in water), and the equivalent dwelling units and equivalent service units we have on record for your property, you are being billed correctly.
[redacted] [redacted]  [redacted]
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You mentioned in your letter that you had talked with our Billing Department and they would not adjust the sewer without charging a large inspection fee. We don't have a record of your conversation, so without knowing who you talked with specifically I can't speak to what you were told. What I can help clear up is that the City of [redacted] does not charge for any of the inspections it conducts. If you believe you are being charged incorrectly for the number of fixtures you have in your building, the City would be happy to schedule an inspection, at no cost to you, to see if there are any discrepancies in what is recorded.
I hope this helps clear up some of the questions regarding your bill. If you would like to discuss further, please feel free to give our Utility Billing Division a call at 503-615-6702 or stop by our office located on the first floor of the [redacted]
 
Tiffany B[redacted]
Public Information Liaison
City of Hillsboro
Re: Revdex.com Complaint ID [redacted]