Water and wastewater rates

Looking to save on your water bill? Remember that the amount of water used during the winter quarter determines your monthly sewer charge for the upcoming year.

Fort Worth uses a winter quarter average to determine your billable sewer flow. Household water use in December, January and February is averaged to establish the monthly wastewater volume assessed to your account.

Using less water during this time lowers your wastewater charge. Most people achieve savings during this time by watering their lawns and landscapes less, or completely turning off their irrigation system. Grass should hibernate during the cold weather, and we do not want your irrigation lines to freeze and burst.

The updated winter quarter average volume begins on your April water bill. 

The Water Department reads meters at customer premises every month. This is a critical step in tracking and accurately billing for water that is used. Meters are read every business day in some part of the city, so your reading will not be based on the calendar month.

See below for instructions on how to read your  digital meter. As you proceed, please note that all Fort Worth meters measure the amount of water used in cubic feet. The Water Department measures water use in CCF or hundred cubic feet. One hundred cubic feet is equal to 748.1 gallons. Be aware that the amount you are billed will not match the reading exactly unless you read the meter at the same time as the meter reader.

Digital Meter

Digital meters feature an electronic display and have a number of advancements including greater reliability and higher-resolution readings.

The numbers on the screen show your water usage. In the illustration, 7,896.011 is the amount of water that has passed through the meter. To calculate your usage for the month, take the value of your first reading for the month and then subtract that from the end of the month number.

There are other helpful indicators on your digital water meter display. The 5/8” in the example above represents the size of the meter. "CF" indicates the meter records water use in cubic feet. When the flag icon is lit, it means that there may be a leak on the customer's side of the meter. Lastly, if the battery icon is on, the meter's electronic register has a low battery. The Water Department is responsible for replacing the batteries, which are expected to last about 20 years.

Also, please note the wires attached to the meter allow for the transmission of use data over a secure radio-frequency network. You can set up an online account to view your water use information and set alerts. The data can viewed by the month day or hour. It is not available in real-time, but about one day later. 

Register/View your online account

Submetering

The water utility does not submeter apartments units, condominiums, strip shopping centers and manufactured home communities. Fort Worth water utility master meters and bills the entire facility.

How the cost for water and wastewater is passed along to the individual tenants is the landlord’s decision. They can choose to submeter or allocate billing of water and wastewater rates to tenants.

Contacting the PUC

The Public Utility Commission of Texas has rules and regulatory practices for this. The local utility is not directly involved in these matters and has no authority in dispute intervention or resolution.

The Public Utility Commission of Texas has a toll-free consumer complaints hotline: 1-888-782-8477.