Cohousing-L Mailing List: Re: Shared Utilities

[lilbert (lilbert]

>Liz, we would be charging according to actual use. The reason to have 
>one electric meter which would keep track of the community's electrical 
>use would be to save costs for everyone.  We would save money both in 
>the initial set up and in the ongoing usage.  So actually we would be 
>charging according to actual use, but at a lower rate.

Oh!  I thought you were saying you already had both! Silly me.  I can see 
where you would save in the initial setup, but still don't understand why 
it would be less later on.  My suggestion would be to have the individual 
meters anyway. I can't imagine how to divvy up the cost equitably 
otherwise.  Speaking of my own experience, I end up feeling resentful if 
I am conserving(whatever the utility) and others are wasting and we pay 
the same.  Also, however good people are, they tend to use more if there 
are minimal consequences.  

Liz Stevenson
Southside Park Cohousing