Someone washing their hands under a running faucet holding a bar of soap.

How Las Cruces Utilities Calculates Wastewater Service:

The water consumed by residents November through February are the amounts billed in December, January, and February.  Las Cruces Utilities (LCU) uses these three billing months to calculate the sewer charge for the next year. The billing system will calculate 90% of the average of the three bills’ consumption to determine the new sewer volume beginning in March.

This calculation is an industry-standard that considers lower, outdoor irrigation and indoor use during the billed months of December, January, and February.

The wastewater comes from:

  • Kitchen drains
  • Washing machine
  • Bathroom faucet drains
  • Shower drains
  • Toilet drains

In some cases, situations arise where a customer will have a water leak during the Winter Quarter Average (WQA) calculation.  The water leak can affect the wastewater calculation for the year.  If you find yourself in this situation, please contact Customer Central. We can help in these instances by submitting an adjustment that can recalculate your wastewater charges and reduce the charge based on your water usage history if approved.

Winter is a good time to double check outdoor and indoor faucets – along with toilets for any drips that may affect your wastewater charges for the coming year.

If Las Cruces Utilities is not your water provider, but you are a customer for wastewater services – LCU can recalculate your sewer charge based on your water provider’s water bill usage.   After receiving your water bill for the three winter months December, January, and February, please submit the bills via email ([email protected]), or simply visit Customer Central where a utility representative will be happy to assist you.

LCU Customer Central can be reached at 575-541-2111 from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.  Monday Through Friday.

City of Las Cruces Labor Day Schedule
Other news in Utilities