FAQs

Sewer Billing

• How is residential sewer billed?

  Sewer charges are calculated based on water consumption at your residence during winter months. The amount of water used during the winter is billed directly for both water and sewer. During the remaining months of the year, sewer consumption is based on your meter reads from the January and March bills, which is water use from November through February.

• What if I have a water leak during the winter when my average is calculated?

  Leaks that occur between November and February affect the winter average used for billing in the remainder of the year. To avoid having an abnormally high winter average, customers who have had a leak may apply to the Finance Department for an adjustment to their winter average. Even customers whose leaks did not meet the criteria for a credit to their bill could still be eligible for this winter average adjustment. Customers must submit proof that a leak occurred to qualify for an adjustment.

• What if I have a water leak, will it affect my sewer charges?

  The City has an existing water leak credit process that also credits sewer charges to a customer for leaks occurring between November and February. Credit for the water portion of your bill is still subject to the requirements listed in Camas Municipal Code 13.44.030. Leaks occurring between March and October do not affect sewer charges.

• What if I have no billing history because I just bought the home?

  In the absence of water use history, new owners default to the 13 unit average for a 2-month billing cycle until they've owned the home throughout a full winter averaging period. New owners will not have their water use based on use by the prior owner of the property.

• What if I have no water use during the winter because I’m a snowbird, or the water was turned off?

  If a customer has no prior winter water use from which to calculate an average, the customer defaults to the average, which is 13 units in a 2-month billing cycle. This is to avoid a customer paying for no sewer use during the summer because they used no water during the winter. Although we would like to have an accurate winter average for every customer, there has to be a method for billing customers who occupy during the summer but not the winter when the average is obtained.

• What if I use a lot of water at my residence?

  Customers who are large water consumers see direct increases in sewer billing as well. The greater your use of water, the more burden your residence places upon the sewer system, and thus the greater is your portion of sewer maintenance and operations. As always, the City strongly encourages water conservation, and those users who conserve will directly lower both water and sewer charges on their bill.

• What if I water during the summer?

  The City recognizes that summertime watering of lawns and gardens does not create a greater demand upon the sewer system, and has adjusted accordingly. Customers only pay for direct use during the winter months. For the remainder of the year, sewer billing is based on the average water use for the non-watering months. This billing structure is designed so that customers do not pay sewer charges for water that does not enter the sewer system.

• Why isn’t the City strictly billing on water use, why is there a flat rate too?

  Regardless of consumption, each sewer customer creates a need for maintenance of the system simply by being connected. The flat fee for sewer is intended to cover the cost of maintenance and improvements of the sewer system, which is present even in the absence of use at your residence.