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You’ve likely heard the term “winter averaging” during a homeowners association meeting or seen it on a water utility bill. Knowing how winter averaging works can help you positively influence your wastewater rates and become empowered in your water use.
So what is winter averaging and why is it practiced? Winter averaging calculates a household’s average water use during the winter months (often from December to February) to determine wastewater use throughout the rest of the year. As opposed to the summer months, a family’s water habits in the winter more accurately reflect indoor water use and the amount of water entering our wastewater systems throughout the year. This is why most water utilities implement winter averaging to determine yearly wastewater charges for residential customers.
