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TCEQ GENERAL INFORMATION
'Water Supply Division
GI-277 " Revised July 2013
Tenant Guide to Submetered Water
or Wastewater Service
What is submetered utility service?
Under a lease agreement, a property owner or
designated submetered service provider will bill you for
water and perhaps wastewater using a method called
submetering. The property owner or submeter service
provider receives water and wastewater service from
the local utility, and has installed a submeteror point-
of-use submeter for each unit to measure each tenant's
water use. At the time you discuss a rental agreement,
the property owner must provide you with a free copy
of either the rules on utility submetering (Title 30,
Texas Administrative Code, Chapter 291, Subchapter H),
or a copy of this summary of the rules that has been
prepared by the Texas Commission on Environmental
Quality (TCEQ).
How does submetering work?
You will receive a bill from the property owner or a
billing company, not from the local utility company.
Submetered facilities have individual submeters or
point-of-use submeters that are installed and owned by
the property owner, not by the local utility. The owner
or a billing company reads your submeter and
determines your actual water consumption to calculate
your bill.
How will my submetered bill be
determined?
Under submetering, the property owner or a billing
company uses your actual water consumption, as read
on your submeter, and multiplies it by either:
" The owner's cost per gallon, liter, or cubic foot for
water, as computed from the utility's bill; or
" The utility's charge per gallon, liter, or cubic foot for
water, as shown on the utility's rate schedule.
The owner may also calculate wastewater charges the
same way-again using your water consumption, since
wastewater is not metered.
A manufactured home rental community or
apartment house that bills on a submetered basis may
also assess a service charge. This charge must not
exceed 9percentof the tenant's charge for water and
wastewater service.
If you have questions about your bill, ask your
property owner or submeter service provider to
explain submetering and how the bill was calculated
(see "What records must be made available to me
concerning submetered service?" in this publication).
Is this practice legal?
Yes, Texas law allows owners or submetered service
providers to bill tenants for water and wastewater
service. Under this law, the TCEQ has adopted rules
designed to provide safeguards for you, the tenant. The
rules require the property owner to provide you with
specific information about your bills and to include
disclosures about their billing practices in your rental
agreement. It is important for you to be familiar with
these requirements, because any billing disputes that
arise must be resolved by you and the property owner,
usually by working with the on-site manager.
What should my rental agreement
include concerning submetered water
or wastewater service?
Your rental agreement, lease, or a lease addendum,
should disclose the following information:
" Disputes about the calculation of your bill or the
accuracy of a submeter are between you and the
property owner
" You will be billed for submetered service.
" You will be billed for water and/or wastewater, and
perhaps for hot water from a central system.
" You have the right to receive information from the
owner to verify your submetered bill.
" The average monthly water/wastewater bill for all
dwelling units in the previous calendar year, and the
highest and lowest bill in that year.
" The date submeters are usually read.
" The date bills are usually issued.
" The date bill payments are usually due.
" The number of days it will take to repair a leak in your
dwelling unit, after you have reported it in writing.
TEXAS COMMISSION ON ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY. P0 BOX 13087.AUSTIN, TX 78711-3087
The TCEQ is an equal opportunity employer. The agency does not allow discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, disability, age, sexual orientation, or veteran status. In compliance with the Americans with
Disabilities Act, this document may be requested in alteate formats by contacting the TCEQ at 512-239-0028, fax 512-23-4488, or 800-RELAY-TX (TDD), or by writing P0 Box 13087, Austin TX 78711-3087. We authorize you to use or
reproduce any original material contained in this publication - that is, any material e did not obtain from other sources Please acknowledge the TCEQ as your source.
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