In San Antonio, Texas, SAWS’s winter sewer-averaging window begins in mid-November. Turn off automatic irrigation before your own averaging periods begin so sprinkler use does not raise the water-use average behind your next sewer charge.
Why winter water use sets your sewer charge
SAWS averages water use over three consecutive billing periods between mid-November and mid-March to calculate monthly sewer charges for the next 12 months. Lower water use during those periods means a lower monthly sewer charge for the next billing year. That makes a sprinkler schedule worth changing before your periods start, rather than after you see winter use on a bill.
This is an average of billing periods, not a single winter day. Water used during the periods that apply to your account is what matters. Turning irrigation off for the season keeps an automatic schedule from adding to that use while the average is being set.
Find the periods that count for your bill
Your averaging periods depend on your SAWS billing cycle. Find the cycle in the blue bill-summary box, then use SAWS’s chart to check the approximate start and end dates for that cycle. Check the chart for the current winter rather than assuming your periods begin in mid-November; that date marks the start of the overall window, not necessarily the start of your account’s periods…