Residents at the Sitka pay for their own water and sewer. Each apartment has two water meters – one for hot water and one for cold water. Households receive a bill each month for the water they use and for the sanitary sewer charges related to that water use. Residents pay exactly the same rates for water and sewer as the city charges and pay only for what they use.

Residents do not pay for any of the common area water use.  The Sitka pays for:

• The water and sewer charges from the laundry rooms, common bath rooms, and maintenance work
• The water charges for the irrigation system
• The city’s storm sewer charges and the city’s service charges
• The billing company’s service charges for the submeters

Your monthly bill will consist of 4 lines:

• Cold Water – This is billed at the city’s rate for water (about $0.25 per 100 gallons in 2007-08)
• Hot Water - This is billed at the city’s rate for water. (We provide the gas to heat the hot water.)
• Sewer – Cold - This is based on the city’s sewer charges (about $0.78 per 100 gallons of water used in 2007-08). This is based on the volume of cold water that you use.

• Sewer – Hot - This is the sanitary sewer charge for the volume of hot water that you use.

In 2007, the average water and sewer bill was a little less than $14 per month per apartment.  The bills can vary widely depending on your use of water and the number of people in your household.  Ground floor apartments with washing machines will generally have higher bills.  The city generally raises rates on July 1 each year.  You will often see an increase in your bill after the city’s annual increase in rates.

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Individual water meters in each apartment (“submeters”) offer three important benefits:

Financial savings for tenants

• Submeters help us keep the rents low. Other buildings may advertise “free utilities”, but there is no such thing.  When an owner pays the cost of something, it is included in your rent.  When water and sewer are included in the rents, you have no economic incentive to conserve.  In those buildings, households that conserve water pay higher rents to cover the habits of households that use large amounts of water. At the Sitka, residents who use less water keep the savings for themselves.

Equitable billing practices

• Some apartment buildings bill households for water and sewer based on the size of the apartment, the number of fixtures, or some other formula rather than billing for actual use.  This isn’t fair to residents who pay attention to conservation and use less water.  With submeters, residents are billed only for what they use.

Conservation

• Apartment buildings with submeters have shown a reduction in water use of 15%-25% compared to buildings where water and sewer charges are included in the rent. 

At the Sitka, residents who conserve water can feel good and collect the savings for themselves.  And we have done everything we can to help increase those savings.

The Sitka uses efficient plumbing fixtures so that residents can keep their water usage – and their water bill – very low.  We researched toilets and tested showerheads to find the models that offer great performance and low water use.  We installed low-flow aerators in kitchen and bathroom faucets. When we provide dishwashers and washing machines, they are Energy-Star rated.