Winter Averaging

The City of Celina will begin to calculate each resident's wastewater volume utilizing the Winter Average rate method effective on water bills beginning in July 2022.

Winter Average is determined by averaging the usage of water for December, January, February, and March of each calendar year. These are typically the lowest four months of usage each year, and will be used to calculate residential charges for the following 12 months. Residents living in a new home that does not have any water usage during the four-month period will be charged a consumer average rate of 5,000 gallons per month until the next calculation process takes place.

Celina residents will have the opportunity to reduce their utility bill by monitoring water usage during the winter months as well as practicing water conservation techniques and repairing any leaks in their system. Residents can take self-monitor their water usage data by signing up for MyCelinaH20. Please visit mycelinah20.com to access your water usage data online from anywhere.

If you have any questions concerning Winter Averaging, please contact the Utility Billing Department at (972) 382-3345 during office hours on Monday – Thursday from 7:30 AM – 5:30 PM and Friday from 7:30 AM – 11:30 AM.

WINTER AVERAGING FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What is Winter Averaging?
Winter Averaging is a method of stabilizing your sewer rate by calculating an average sewer usage for the next 12 months. This is done by taking your water usage during the months of December, January, February, and March and averaging the four months, which becomes your set sewer usage for the next 12 months.

Up until this year, the sewer charge on your utility bill was directly tied to your water usage up to a max of 11,000 gallons consumed. This means that for every gallon of water you used, you paid the sewer charge on that same amount of gallons of water up to the maximum. Following City Council action in May 2022, the sewer charge on your monthly utility bill is now calculated using what is referred to as a winter average.

Why did we adopt Winter Averaging?
The City of Celina looked at options to lower or stabilize rates for water and sewer. Following the lead of other suburbs in the area like Frisco, McKinney, and Plano, City Council adopted the Winter Average rate method in May 2022 to help address this issue.

What are the benefits of this method?
• A fixed sewer usage that doesn’t fluctuate with the highs-and-lows of water usage throughout the year.
• Consumers can directly control their sewer usage average.
• Consumers will no longer see their sewer rates increase with their water usage.
• Summer activities like watering the yard, filling up swimming pools, power washing, and washing the car no longer impact your sewer usage.

What if I just opened my utility account with the City?
To establish a Winter Average, you must open your water account prior to November 18th. Otherwise, you will pay sewer fees for 5,000 gallons of water used until the following year when you have established your winter average.

What things can I do to lower my Winter Average?
Limiting your water usage during the months of December, January, February, and March will have a direct impact on your winter average. The fewer gallons of water you use during those months, the less your winter average will be. Make sure to fix any water leaks or toilet issues immediately during these months.

Why do I pay sewer rates?
Water and sewer rates are two separate things. Every gallon of sewer is sent from your house out to a lift station where it is then pumped to the Upper Trinity Regional Water District facilities. Your sewer fees cover the charges from Upper Trinity as well as required maintenance, operation, and upkeep of Celina’s sewer infrastructure.