{"id":372,"date":"2026-03-15T13:34:18","date_gmt":"2026-03-15T13:34:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/rpmwes.com\/blog\/?p=372"},"modified":"2026-07-03T02:48:13","modified_gmt":"2026-07-03T02:48:13","slug":"refund-past-sewer-overpayments","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/rpmwes.com\/blog\/refund-past-sewer-overpayments\/","title":{"rendered":"Can I Get a Refund for Past Sewer Overpayments?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Quick Answer<\/strong><\/p>\n

In most cases, no \u2014 utilities apply sewer credits prospectively from the date your application is approved, not retroactively. Some utilities will adjust 1 to 3 past billing cycles, and a few go further if you can document historical evaporation with engineering estimates, but retroactive refunds are the exception. The better news: going forward, the savings are substantial and fast. A 400-ton cooling tower typically evaporates 80,000 to 120,000 gallons per month in season, which at sewer rates of $8 to $12 per thousand gallons means $640 to $1,440 per month in avoidable charges. Setup costs of $2,000 to $8,000 usually pay back in 2 to 8 months, so the fastest path to recovering value is applying now rather than litigating the past.<\/p>\n

Once facility managers realize their building has been paying sewer charges on water that evaporates from a cooling tower, the first question is usually: “Can I get that money back?” It’s a fair question \u2014 if you’ve been overpaying for years, the total can be staggering. Here’s what to realistically expect.<\/p>\n

The Honest Answer: Usually No \u2014 But Going Forward, Yes<\/h2>\n

Most utilities apply sewer credits<\/a> prospectively, meaning they start from the date your application is approved going forward. They don’t typically issue retroactive refunds for months or years of past overpayments. The reasoning from the utility’s perspective is straightforward: you didn’t have metering data to prove the non-sewer water use during those prior periods, so there’s no documentation to base a refund on.<\/p>\n

That said, some utilities offer limited retroactive adjustments \u2014 typically one to three billing cycles back from your application date. A few cities with more progressive programs may go back further if you can provide convincing engineering estimates of historical evaporation. It’s always worth asking, but don’t build your business case around retroactive recovery.<\/p>\n

How to Calculate What You’ve Been Losing<\/h2>\n

Even if you can’t recover the past, it’s useful to understand the magnitude. A mid-rise office building with a 400-ton cooling tower typically evaporates 80,000 to 120,000 gallons per month during the cooling season. At a sewer rate of $8 to $12 per thousand gallons \u2014 rates that the EPA notes have been rising steadily<\/a> \u2014 that’s $640 to $1,440 per month in excess sewer charges. Over five years of inaction, that’s $38,000 to $86,000 that went to the utility for sewer treatment of water that went into the sky.<\/p>\n

The lesson isn’t to dwell on what’s lost \u2014 it’s to stop the bleeding as quickly as possible.<\/p>\n

Why the Payback Period Is So Short<\/h2>\n

The good news is that even without retroactive refunds, the return on investment for a sewer credit program is remarkably fast. The cost of installing submeters and applying for credits typically runs $2,000 to $8,000, depending on the complexity of your plumbing and your city’s requirements. If your building saves $1,000 per month in sewer charges (a conservative estimate for most cooling tower facilities), the entire investment pays for itself in two to eight months.<\/p>\n

Our detailed analysis of water monitoring ROI<\/a> breaks down these numbers across different building types and sizes. The payback periods are consistently measured in months, not years \u2014 making sewer credits one of the fastest-returning capital investments a facility can make.<\/p>\n

Why Utilities Resist Retroactive Refunds<\/h2>\n

Understanding the utility’s position helps you negotiate more effectively. Sewer charges are typically calculated on a simple assumption: every gallon that passes through your domestic water meter eventually reaches the sewer. Without a deduct meter or evaporation submeter in place during past billing periods, there is no measured record of what actually evaporated \u2014 only estimates. Utility billing departments are audited, and most are prohibited by tariff or municipal code from issuing adjustments that aren’t backed by meter data.<\/p>\n

There’s also a budget reality. Sewer revenue funds treatment plant operations and bond payments, and a large retroactive refund is money the utility has already spent. That’s why even utilities with generous credit programs usually cap look-back adjustments at one to three billing cycles \u2014 it’s a bounded, defensible number rather than an open-ended liability.<\/p>\n

What to Ask Your Utility Before You Apply<\/h2>\n

A 15-minute phone call to your utility’s commercial billing department can save weeks of back-and-forth. Ask these questions and write down the answers:<\/p>\n