MIL-HDBK-1133
Section 4:
WATER CONSUMPTION ESTIMATION AND RECONCILIATION
4.1
Data Collection. Potable water billing is based on
unit cost and amount of water consumed. This includes
interutility transfers, distribution losses, and general uses for
common benefit operations. Regardless of whether water is
purchased and/or produced at an activity, there is a cost
associated with bringing it to consumers that must be considered
when estimating billing. Billing estimates may be established
for month, quarter, or annual periods to coincide with budgeting
cycles. Shorter term estimates are sometimes needed for
activities that have fluctuating requirements dictated by their
tempo of operations. Since potable water costs fluctuate based
on population, climatic conditions, and type of operation,
estimates should be prepared as often as necessary to account for
these variables.
a) Factors that affect water usage are listed below
and should be considered in allocating billing:
(1)
Peak demand
(2)
Activity mission
(3)
Climatic effects
b) If an activity is small or able to provide water at
a low cost, billing estimates can be prepared for longer periods.
At low usage levels, billing estimates are likely to show little
fluctuation. Unpredicted operations and those that create a
noncyclic impact on the tempo of operations often result in large
water consumption fluctuations over short periods; therefore,
billing estimates should be prepared more frequently. If a large
installation uses more than 50 percent of a high cost water
supply to support personnel, detailed billing estimates should be
calculated to coincide with fluctuations in work shifts and
number of people served. Similarly, when water is in short
supply, billing estimates should take into account surcharges and
consumption restrictions. In most cases, where unmetered water
is furnished to tenants, evaluation of consumption is
recommended. Evaluation of consumption is especially valuable if
a function of a tenant changes or the number of people employed
has substantially varied.
c) To develop billing estimates, water uses are
grouped under four primary classifications:
(1)
Domestic
(2)
Commercial/industrial
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