Monroe’s water and sewer ordinances effective May 1, 2026 produce $69.54 inside the City or $103.98 outside the City in selected volumetric charges at 6,000 gallons. The examples hold usage constant and change only the published account classification. Neither is a complete bill.
The outside sewer rate must be read from its own ordinance. It cannot be calculated by applying the water ordinance’s 150% multiplier to every charge.
Follow each ordinance’s own rate
Water Ordinance 12,284 sets the inside rate at $5.30 per 1,000 gallons through one million gallons. Outside water is 150% of that rate: $5.30 × 1.5 = $7.95.
Sewer Ordinance 12,283 separately lists $6.29 inside and $9.38 outside per 1,000 gallons. Multiplying $6.29 by 1.5 gives $9.435, not the enacted $9.38 row. LSL uses the published sewer value rather than substituting a derived one.
Both records say they were adopted February 10, 2026 and took effect May 1. The article’s former April 14 source-publication dates were unsupported and have been removed; adoption, website publication and effective dates are different fields.
Hold the usage at 6,000 gallons
Six thousand gallons equals six units of 1,000 gallons. The component arithmetic is:
| Account classification | Water component | Sewer component | Combined volumetric amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Inside City | 6 × $5.30 = $31.80 | 6 × $6.29 = $37.74 | $69.54 |
| Outside City | 6 × $7.95 = $47.70 | 6 × $9.38 = $56.28 | $103.98 |
The $34.44 difference reflects only those selected usage rates. It is not a comparison of average household bills or of Monroe against West Monroe. A postal address does not establish the utility’s account classification.
The model assumes all 6,000 gallons are used for both volumetric calculations. It does not establish how the utility handles a particular meter, adjustment, billing period or other service. Fixed or minimum charges, taxes, fees, deposits, penalties, balances and credits remain outside the table.
Why the former lifeline total is withdrawn
The earlier classification article applied 85% to all 6,000 gallons of both services and displayed $59.11. That is not a supported combined example.
The sewer ordinance limits lifeline treatment to 5,000 gallons per month; usage above that is charged at the non-lifeline sewer rate. Application and account conditions also apply. The separate water amendment does not, by itself, establish all the unchanged water-lifeline rules. We are not replacing one unsupported combined discount with another.
For the application requirements and renewal boundary, use the separate Monroe lifeline sewer guide. Its purpose is preparing an application, not promising a household’s eligibility or bill.
Match a bill to its effective schedule
The Utility Billing page gives 318-329-2220 for customer-service information. Before comparing a statement with this table, identify its service period, account classification, measured or billed quantity, and separate water and sewer lines.
Ask: “Which ordinance and effective rate were used for this line, and which usage quantity and classification were applied?” Keep any minimum, fee, adjustment or prior balance separate from the two modeled components. The billing landing still links an older 2024 rate notice; the 2026 ordinances above, not that older notice, supply these examples.
For why utility subtotals with different services and assumptions are not a price ranking, see LSL’s utility calculation methods resource.
Calculation and consolidation record
LSL reread both adopted ordinances and the billing page on September 12, 2026, independently multiplied each rate by six, and summed the components. No customer bills or eligibility files were reviewed. The overlapping inside/outside classification article now redirects here; its valid calculations are retained and its unsupported lifeline total is expressly withdrawn. The next source review is scheduled for December 1.