Our Methodology
Discover how we collect, validate, and analyze water pricing data from municipalities across the United States to create the most comprehensive water cost database available.
Why 100,000+ Population Threshold
We focus on municipalities with populations of 100,000 or more for several important reasons that ensure data quality and relevance.
Data Reliability
Larger municipalities have standardized billing systems and publicly available rate structures
Population Impact
These municipalities collectively serve the majority of Americans
Economic Significance
Large municipalities often set pricing trends that smaller utilities follow
Resource Efficiency
Provides comprehensive coverage while maintaining data quality
Data Collection Process
Our water pricing data collection follows a systematic approach with multiple validation steps
Source Identification
We identify water pricing sources through multiple channels:
- Municipal water utility websites
- Published rate schedules and tariffs
- Public utility commission filings
- Municipal budget documents
Web Scraping
Our automated systems regularly scrape public websites to collect the latest rate information:
- Rate tables and pricing schedules
- Base fees and connection charges
- Tiered pricing structures
- Surcharges and special assessments
Data Parsing and Validation
Raw pricing data is processed through multiple validation steps:
Format Standardization
Converting various rate formats into consistent units
Volume Standardization
Converting all rates to per-1000-gallon basis for comparison
Normalization to Per-1000-Gallons
Water utilities use various billing units, which we standardize for accurate comparison
Need to Convert Units?
Use our conversion tool to easily convert between different water billing units
Try Conversion ToolPopulation Weighting
Our state and national averages are weighted by population to ensure accuracy and represent the actual cost burden experienced by most residents.
Municipality Level
Each municipality's rates are weighted by its population
State Level
State averages reflect the population distribution within each state
National Level
Country-wide averages account for population served at each price point
Volume Calculations
Questions About Our Methodology?
We're committed to transparency in our data collection and analysis. If you have questions about our methodology or notice data that seems incorrect, we'd love to hear from you.
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