Know the 3 key elements of your water bill

There are two times you’re most likely to carefully examine your water bill: When your usage spikes (“What did we do – water the whole neighborhood?”) and when your bill plummets (“Did I forget to shower – for a month?”)

With that in mind, it’s good to know how to read your bill and understand how charges for water consumption are calculated.

Check the bar graph

In the upper left third of the page, you’ll see a bar graph that carries three key data points:

• The number of gallons used during the current month, the previous month, and one year ago
• The number of days in the billing cycle – which can affect the amount of your bill
• The average number of gallons used each day

This provides a quick dashboard that can help you think about the next month and how you plan to use water in your household.

Know your rates.

On the upper right side of your bill, you’ll find a box titled “Amount Used.” This shows how many gallons your home used during the most recent billing cycle. With that number in mind, you can check our tiered rates table (see image below) to see how much you’re paying for water.

If your subdivision is on a STEP system (Septic Tank Effluent Pump), you have a separate charge for that service on your bill. That fee is listed as “CUD STEP” on your billing statement, and you’ll pay a $28 flat rate per month, plus $2 per thousand gallons used. Residents of Eagleville pay $8.25 per thousand gallons used.

If you’re expecting to pay a larger bill during the summer, our Customer Service FAQ provides more information about Seasonal Sewer Adjustment rates.

NOTE: CUD bills on behalf of Murfreesboro Water, Smyrna Utility, and Eagleville. Rates are set by those entities.

In compliance with state law, There is a 9.75 percent sales tax included on your water service.

Due dates matter – a lot

Water service is vital to everyday life in Rutherford County. That’s why we list the Total Amount Due, Due Date, and Amount Due After Due Date on the bill multiple times. You’ll find these listed on the right side of the top half of the bill …

in an information box about halfway down the page …

and in a box on the perforated area of the bill (see images below).

Keeping your account in good standing prevents disruption of your water service. The best way to ensure your payments provide uninterrupted service is to sign up for eBilling or automatic bank draft. You can learn more about both on our Payments page.