Contact: Matthew Pagel 608-266-9600
MADISON – Wisconsin public water utilities sold 148 billion gallons of water to retail customers in 2010, according to the Public Service Commission’s (PSC) recently released 2011 Wisconsin Water Fact Sheet. The Commission compiles the annual Water Fact Sheet using data reported by water utilities for the previous calendar year.
Most Wisconsin communities have access to plentiful and high-quality water supplies, including groundwater and the Great Lakes. In 2010, 62 of the state’s 583 utilities relied on surface waters within the Great Lakes basin. By volume, these utilities provided 46 percent of the water pumped in Wisconsin in 2010.
Total water sales show variability over the past five years, but the amount of water sold per residential customer meter has declined 11 percent, from 58,450 gallons in 2006 to 52,000 gallons in 2010.
“Water conservation and efficiency continues to gain momentum in Wisconsin, evident in the decreased water use by residential customers and the decrease in energy consumption by water utilities,” said Phil Montgomery, PSC Chairperson. “Wisconsin water utilities continue to provide safe, clean water to consumers at reasonable rates.”
As of April 2011, the average statewide quarterly cost for 18,750 gallons of water was $81.12 for residential customers, or about $4.30 per 1,000 gallons. Water rates have generally increased across the state, reflecting higher utility operating costs and needed investments in infrastructure.
The fact sheet provides other useful water-related information, including the number of utilities operating in Wisconsin, energy consumption by water utilities, and trends in total water pumped.
The 2011 Wisconsin Water Fact Sheet is available at: http://psc.wi.gov/conservation/documents/WaterFactSheet.pdf
