For the same 6,000 gallons, selected published Monroe water and sewer rates produce three different volumetric illustrations: $69.54 inside the City, $103.98 outside the City, and $59.11 for an illustrative inside-City lifeline calculation. Classification and eligibility must be confirmed; none of these figures is a complete bill.
The equal-usage comparison
Ordinance 12,284 publishes inside water at $5.30 per 1,000 gallons and outside water at 150 percent, or $7.95. Ordinance 12,283 publishes inside sewer at $6.29 and outside sewer at $9.38 per 1,000 gallons. The ordinances describe lifeline rates at 85 percent of the respective rate, subject to application and eligibility conditions.
| Scenario | Water calculation | Sewer calculation | Combined volumetric example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Inside City | 6 × $5.30 = $31.80 | 6 × $6.29 = $37.74 | $69.54 |
| Outside City | 6 × $7.95 = $47.70 | 6 × $9.38 = $56.28 | $103.98 |
| Inside lifeline illustration | $31.80 × 85% = $27.03 | $37.74 × 85% = $32.079 | $59.11 after rounding |
The outside example uses the sewer ordinance’s published $9.38 rate. Mathematically, 150 percent of $6.29 is $9.435, so a reader should not silently replace the enacted row with the derived amount. Record the published input and ask the City if its application is unclear.
Classification comes before arithmetic
“Monroe address” is not a billing class. Ask Utility Billing to identify the account’s inside/outside status and the ordinance or schedule supporting it. For lifeline treatment, obtain the current application, eligibility criteria, approval date, and effective billing period. Do not assume a household qualifies from age, income, disability, or another personal fact without the City’s decision.
What remains outside the table
The table does not include fixed or minimum charges, taxes, fees, deposits, penalties, prior balances, meter rules, adjustments, or any account-specific service. It also does not predict consumption. All scenarios hold usage at exactly 6,000 gallons to isolate classification.
The sewer ordinance describes possible annual adjustments in later fiscal years, capped at four percent per year under its terms. That does not mean a four-percent increase will automatically occur. Recheck the operative schedule for the billing period.
Reconcile a statement
Record the meter readings and dates, stated gallons, classification, each billed line, and current ordinance. Reproduce the calculation before asking about a discrepancy. If the City applies rounding at a different stage than this illustration, the bill may differ by cents even when the same rate inputs are used.
Source and methodology
Local Service Ledger reviewed two adopted rate ordinances and the City billing route on August 1, 2026. We held usage at 6,000 gallons, calculated water and sewer separately, used the published outside sewer value, and rounded only the displayed lifeline total to cents. We did not review customer bills or determine eligibility.