Board bases water charges on rate of quantity used

Question: On my recent water bill, I noticed I paid the exact same amount for water for two billing cycles. To the penny. What are the chances of that happening, right? I called and found out the Board of Water Supply bills only by the 1,000 gallons used. So, for example, if I use 1,001 gallons of water one month and 1,999 gallons the next month, I’d be billed the same rate. The rate would only go up if I hit 2,000 gallons. That does not make sense to me! The Board of Water Supply has been crying about budget issues, so why aren’t they billing people for exactly what they use? Seems they could be winding up on the losing end quite often.

Answer: The Board of Water Supply and water utilities nationwide use the American Water Works Association’s standard for billing: a rate quantity of either kgal (thousand gallons) or a hundred cubic feet (748 gallons).

“The BWS has charged its customers by the kgal for many, many years,” said spokeswoman Tracy Burgo. “It does not bill customers for exact usage since that would result in charges of thousandths of a penny that would have to be rounded up or down.”

She acknowledged the current policy of “rounding down to the lesser thousands of gallons used does favor the customer, but continues to be implemented because the BWS does not charge for a quantity of water that is not yet used.”

Question: We live along Kaneohe Stream down from the Hoomaluhia Reservoir and noticed that the city has not sprayed the weeds along the waterway for the better part of two years. The weeds are out of control, particularly the toxic castor bean, which is the source of the ricin poison that recently made the news. It was under control in the past by the spraying. The waterway is surrounded by a fence which prevents me from cutting the plants myself. Are there any plans to resume spraying?

Answer: The photo you provided showed the plant growing high above the fence top.

Based on your complaint, the city Department of Facility Maintenance would schedule a crew to manually remove the growth, said Ross Sasamura, its director.

The castor bean plants were removed by the department’s Division of Road Maintenance in early May.

You have since confirmed that not only did the crew remove the growth along the stream, but that “they cleaned out quite a bit of growth in the water as well.”

In the past, herbicides were sprayed to control weeds and other noxious plants, but current clean water regulations “preclude such use,” Sasamura said.

Castor beans can be found growing as a weed in almost all tropical or subtropical locations.

AUWE

To the person who stole our large green golf umbrella from the Gymboree store in Waikele on Sunday, April 14. We had left it to dry off after being drenched and within minutes, it “walked off.” —  Joni Kamiya, Kaneohe

MAHALO

To the firefighters, paramedics and everyone else who gave aid to my sister, who lives alone in the senior homes in Ewa, when she had breathing problems. Another sister called 911 and in no time, they were there to help. We’re very grateful and thankful. — A. Gollero and the Saldavia ohana

MAHALO

To a kind stranger. My 89-year-old mother and I were having breakfast at one of our favorite places to eat, Jane’s Fountain in Liliha, on April 12. When I went to pay for our meal at the counter, we were told that our bill had already been paid! I found out that a regular customer always comes in and chooses to pay for someone else’s bill along with his own. That day, we were that lucky someone and we thank him for his kindness. It was wonderful, unexpected and very much appreciated. — Eileen Ching, Nuuanu

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