ABSTRACT
Each year since 1969, each activity–whether discharging directly to a water body or into a municipal sewage system–which uses more than 6,000 cubic meters of water per year has received a water intake bill and an effluent charge bill. The water intake charge is based on the volume of the water intake, and applies to surface waters as well as to ground waters. This unit charge is a function of four factors. The first factor is whether the abstraction is from surface or ground water. The second factor is the zone in which the abstraction takes place. The third factor is the time of year. Unit charges are usually higher during low-flow periods. The fourth factor is whether the water is returned to the environment after use by the activity, or is consumed and not returned to the environment in the basin.
