Water, Sewer and Trash Services

The water source (or surface water, e.g. Salt River Project or Central Arizona Project) impacts costs of production due to different treatment requirements. Environmental conditions, seasonal demands, and the number of independent water supply and distribution systems also affect treatment costs. 

The size and conditions of the geographic area serviced, the elevation gain, and the number and density of customers affect water, sewer, and trash costs.

Programs and rate structures can provide incentives or disincentives for water consumption, waste reduction, and recycling.

The size, technology used, and ownership of the facility (joint/shared or local) impact the cost of water, landfills, and recycling centers provided to customers.

The size and type of residential, agricultural, and commercial properties influence water consumption and trash tonnage collected.

Consumption can be impacted if customers use water from separate irrigation districts for landscape watering.

The types of services included in collection fees vary by community and affect trash tonnage; e.g. uncontained and bulk trash collection.

Consumer behaviors surrounding recyclable products are constantly changing. These changes can impact waste streams, and consequently impact supply and demand in the recycling market. For example, as residents and businesses do more communicating, reading, and shopping online, recycling in the form of paper mail, newspaper, magazine, and correspondence have declined, while cardboard recycling from online shopping has increased.

The market for recycled materials impacts the production and net cost of recycling in a city. Historically, foreign nations have been the primary consumers of recycled materials, but changes in recycling requirements and acceptable commodities are affecting the amount of household waste diverted to recycling.