In the City of Racine, billing for sanitary sewer service is based on the assumption that the amount of water purchased by a facility, as recorded by a Racine Water Utility incoming water meter(s), will discharge via the sanitary sewer. Due to evaporation, irrigation, cooling, production, or other uses, this is not always the case. To recognize this loss, the Racine Wastewater Utility will allow industrial, commercial, public authority, or multi-residential (3 units or more) facilities, located in the City of Racine only, an option to gain sewer bill credit for this water volume. To receive credit, the water loss must be metered by a water meter equipped with an “Orion” series transmitter. The credit option does not apply to residential customers.

Certain requirements must be met in order to qualify for water usage credit, as follows:

• The applicant must first obtain any necessary WPDES general discharge permits from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. To review requirements and permit applications visit:
  http://dnr.wi.gov/topic/wastewater/generalpermits.html
• The applicant must complete and return the Racine Wastewater Utility Credit Meter Application form, including a copy of DNR permit approval (if applicable) and a clear sketch and/or pictures of the proposed credit meter locations and plumbing changes.
• After approval, the applicant will be notified and required to purchase a credit meter from the Racine Water Utility (262)636-9186. A credit meter is a meter that measures the amount of non-contaminated water not entering the sanitary sewer system.
• The applicant is required to obtain a plumbing permit through the City of Racine Building Department and hire a licensed plumber to install any meter. The meter is to be located downstream of the primary incoming water meter in a permanent, heated location.

  The plumber is to fill out the section on page 2 of the application certifying that the plumbing follows the submitted sketches/pictures and water does not enter the sewer system. For questions regarding plumbing, contact your local plumbing authority. (City of Racine: (262)636-9164.)

  Please note: Some applications may require more than one meter. For example: Cooling towers would require one meter on the blow down to sanitary and another to measure the water feeding the tower. The Wastewater Utility may approve alternate metering schemes on a case-by-case basis.

• After installation is complete, the applicant will need to contact the Racine Wastewater Utility (262)-636-9552 and the Racine Water Utility(262)-636-9186 to set up a time for inspection. Only after the installation is inspected, will a credit be given.

  Please note: Inspection by the Racine Wastewater Utility is to ensure discharge through the meter is not going to sanitary. Inspection by the Racine Water Utility is to ensure meter is installed correctly.

• The credit meter is to be maintained by the applicant. If a reading cannot be made due to meter malfunction, it is the applicant’s responsibility to fix or replace the meter.
• All credits will be applied to the water/sewer bill. For any billing questions, please contact Racine Water & Wastewater Utilities at (262)636-9181.
• The Racine Water and Wastewater Utilities reserve the right to inspect or require outside calibration/certification for the credit meter as necessary to ensure proper function and compliance.

Please call the Wastewater Utility for further information and with any questions or concerns (262)636-9552.

Download the Brochure/Policy here

Download the Credit Meter Application here