Pricing & Fees
Southwaste is committed to providing sustainable, high-quality environmentally compliant wastewater collection, processing, and maintenance services. Service rates, surcharges, and fees vary based on service type, location, regulatory requirements, and government taxes or fees. These charges and fees are intended to recover direct and indirect costs of operation and to achieve an acceptable profit margin. Please refer to the information provided below for more detail on the Company’s rate policies and the most common charges and fees.
Understanding Your Invoice
Southwaste Rates & Surcharges
Rate Increases
Fuel Surcharge
The WRM – Fuel Surcharge (FSC) may be assessed to help recover the direct and indirect costs of gasoline, diesel, natural gas, compressed natural gas, electricity, and other hydrocarbon-based fuels, petroleum-based products, lubricants, parts, tires, and other materials or products used in or related to our overall business, including the operation, maintenance, and servicing of our fleet of vehicles and equipment. These charges may fluctuate periodically, including monthly, based on changes in the cost to WRM affiliates of fuel or fuel inputs, materials, supplies, and other related products. These charges may not be directly related to the costs of servicing any specific customer account and instead may be based upon direct and indirect costs, expenses, and operational considerations incurred or expected to be incurred by WRM affiliates on a local, regional, company-wide, or other basis so WRM affiliates can recover fuel- and material-related costs and maintain consistent service levels and financial stability even as these costs fluctuate. The amount, calculation, and application of these charges may vary by service location, service type, affiliate, contract terms, invoicing practices, customer category, equipment used, operating conditions, or other factors. This allows WRM to adjust charges in response to fuel price changes, ensuring operational costs are covered while maintaining service levels. The FSC is applied as a percentage of a customer’s invoice, not directly linked to the cost of servicing individual accounts, and some customers could be exempt or subject to nonstandard rates. The FSC is applied to all monthly or periodic invoice charges before taxes. The FSC allows WRM to keep up with the changing costs of fuel on an enterprise-wide basis and so the amount or percentage of the FSC is not specifically tied to the direct or indirect costs to service a specific collection or disposal customer account. By contract or at a WRM operating company’s discretion, some customers pay a nonstandard FSC, or are exempt from any FSC, which does not change the aggregate FSC charged to all other customers. These charges and fees help each operating subsidiary recover its direct and indirect costs of operation and the FSC includes an amount designed to achieve an acceptable operating margin, reasonable rate of return, and profit margin. The FSC is not a tax, surcharge, or fee mandated by or remitted to any governmental or regulatory agency. These rates may vary in some locations. WRM monitors the costs that comprise the FSC monthly and reserves the right to adjust the FSC at its discretion without advance notice. The index used is the U.S. Department of Energy Information Administration index for the entire United States (EIA.GOV).
Late Payment Fee
Emergency Fee
Manifest Fee
Houston Municipal Sewer & Water Fee
Franchise Fee
How is the Fuel Surcharge Calculated?
The Energy Information Administration of the U.S. Department of Energy (EIA) publishes Weekly Retail On-Highway Diesel Prices. At the beginning of each quarter, the Fuel Surcharge is determined by comparing that week’s US On-Highway Diesel Price with the corresponding surcharge % in the Company’s Fuel Surcharge Schedule.
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Common Questions
Pricing & Fee FAQs
Why does Southwaste charge a surcharge?
How is the average diesel price set?
If the cost of fuel goes down, will my surcharge go down?
Is there a separate environmental surcharge?
When did Southwaste implement the Fuel Surcharge?
Houston Municipal Sewer & Water Fee
I still have questions about my bill
Our billing team is here to help. Call (866) 413-9494 or contact us online with any pricing questions.
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