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Authority to audit large commercial water users aiming to recoup subsidized sewer costs
Summary
Franklin Township sewage authority staff told the board they identified roughly 100–150 commercial accounts using 1 million+ gallons per year (top 10 using up to ~30 million) and will pursue metering, sampling or EDU reassessments to ensure heavy users pay fair sewer shares, potentially adding about $300,000/year to revenues.
Joe, the authority's executive director, told the board the agency has identified numerous commercial accounts that consume far more water than a typical household and that the authority will begin auditing how those customers are billed for sewer service.
The review flagged roughly 100—60 accounts using at least 1 million gallons annually and a top 10 group that in some cases used nearly 30 million gallons, Joe said. He said staff will compare each account's billing model (flat-rate assessments, assigned EDUs or metered flows), require metering and sampling where rules permit, and reassess charges going forward.
Why it matters: sewer charges are largely based on wastewater volume, and under the authority's current billing structure some commercial customers have been assessed at flat rates that may understate their actual sewer impact. Councilman Rahm estimated the change could yield roughly $300,000 a year once reassessments and enforcement are in place.
Joe said the authority already has rate rules and inspection procedures that allow it to compel meters and sampling of outgoing sewer flows when necessary. "We can force them to meter and sample their outgoing sewer," he said, adding the agency will use available auditing tools to make charges "fair and legal for our community."
Councilman Barrison pressed staff for comparative data that can convert raw water use into EDUs (equivalent dwelling units) and the resulting sewer charge, saying the board needs a concrete formula to quantify revenue impacts and avoid shifting costs unfairly. Barrison said the authority should compare similar commercial accounts to estimate billing adjustments.
Staff said some legacy billing decisions were made before current rates and business types (for example, data centers) were common. "We chose to do nothing" historically, Joe said of prior inaction on certain accounts, but added the new auditing and reassessment program will address those gaps.
Next steps: staff will produce a periodic commercial water-usage report, run comparative EDU analyses, and present findings and proposed billing adjustments to the board for consideration.
