Water Billing

Legislation and Regulations

• EPA Guidance Easing Restrictions on Water Billing
  Reverses previous EPA policy that submetered apartment properties must comply with the same water quality testing and other requirements as public water utilities. (December 23, 2003)

• Final Regulations: LIHTC Utility Allowances
  NMHC-sought proposed regulations that would change the way rents are adjusted on Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) properties when residents pay for their own utilities. (7/28/2008, Updated 5/5/2009)

NMHC Guidance and Research

• National Multiple Family Submetering and Allocation Billing Program Study
  EPA/NMHC/NAA-sponsored study finds water billing in apartments can conserve significant amounts of water (September 1, 2004).

• Water Conservation From User Charges in Multifamily Rental Housing
  NMHC research estimating the savings possible if apartment residents shift from not paying directly for water to paying the national average marginal price. (June 1999)

• Submetering, RUBS, and Water Conservation
  To better understand how billing methods affect water consumption patterns, we examined detailed water and wastewater billing information for 32 properties acress three states. (June 1999)

• Research Notes: Who Pays Residents' Utility Bills?
  Water conservation increases if residents are charged based on their usage, but billing practices and expenses vary widely. This issue of Research Notes presents information on billing practices and apartment utility expenses nationwide. (April 1998)

Third-party Guidance, Advisories, and Resources

• HUD Guidance: Overview of Retrofit Strategies: A Guide for Apartment Owners and Managers
  Overview of retrofit solutions that can conserve water and reduce water costs. (November 2002)

• EPA Safe Drinking Water Act Site

Articles and Conference Presentations