Conservation pricing is used to encourage water conservation to help sustain an adequate water supply for future generations. Gainesville uses a conservation rate structure that residential customers are billed according to three tiered blocks. The three tiers are defined as follows:
- Block 1 = 0 to 10 one hundred cubic feet (ccfs), Block 2 = 11 to 18 ccfs and Block 3 = greater than 18 ccfs
Also under tiered rate structure, commercial and multifamily class customers are billed based on a percentage of winter average usage (winter average usually runs from November to April but varies by billing cycle). Commercial and multifamily class customer blocks include:
- Block 1 = Less than 125% of winter average, Block 2 = Greater than 125% to 200% of winter average and Block 3 = Greater than 200% of winter average
General industry customers are billed at the lowest rate for all consumption under this new structure. As of January 2010, irrigation meters are being billed at Block 3 for all consumption in compliance with the MNGWPD’s Water Supply and Water Conservation Plan.