6.1f ERMUSR 07-13-2021______________________________________________________________________________
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UTILITIES COMMISSION MEETING
TO:
ERMU Commission
FROM:
Michelle Canterbury – Executive Administrative Manager
MEETING DATE:
July 13, 2021
AGENDA ITEM NUMBER:
6.1f
SUBJECT:
Staff Update
ACTION REQUESTED:
None
DISCUSSION:
• The Current newsletter is the July bill insert. The summer edition focuses on topics such
as: restoration of the Jackson Street Water Tower, announcement of the Tom Bovitz
Memorial Scholarship local and statewide winner, 2021 Water Quality Report, Field
Services Facility Expansion update, and information on some of our most popular
rebates including AC tune-ups, irrigation system tune-ups, WiFi thermostats, and energy
efficient HVAC equipment. Attached is a copy of the newsletter.
• Typically, when we publish our quarterly Current newsletter, we intentionally focus our
social media posts that month around the topics that were covered in the newsletter. In
addition to the newsletter topics, other posts you may see in June and July include: How
Do They Do That? Solar Panels, Minnesota Municipal Power Agency Hometown
WindPower program, energy efficiency and sustainability resources The Connector
newsletter and Energy City Insights, Clean Energy Choice for Business, wishes for a safe
and happy Independence Day, and holiday office closure.
• This month’s featured social media posts: Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) regarding
Summer Energy and Water Usage. During the hot summer months, customers often
contact our office with questions about their electric bill and why it’s so much higher
than usual. In addition, the abnormally dry conditions have many customers seeing
water bill increases as well. As part of our ongoing mission to educate those we serve,
our communications coordinator and customer service representatives worked together
to come up with a list of FAQs for this topic that will be shared via social media and
through our blog. As residents periodically reach out to our Commission members for
questions and concerns regarding their bills, I would encourage you to read through the
attached FAQs to familiarize yourself with the questions we hear the most often and the
best way to respond.
• The alert bar on our website has been a great addition and has allowed us to
communicate information for critical situations. The alert bar has been utilized three
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times this past week, once to remind customers about the outdoor watering restrictions
that are in place, and twice for larger power outages in the Elk River service area. Our
communications coordinator does a fantastic job of tracking and analyzing what is
working on our website and reported that compared to the same timeframe in the prior
week, on the two days we activated the alert bar and posted information about the
outages we had twice the number of users, over three times the number of new users,
and a peak average of 177 users at the time of the outage. These stats confirm that our
website, along with the alert bar and alert page, are an excellent communications tool.
• The Administration Department has been busy working on cleanup of the polices
transferred over to the commission policy manual during the policy manual initiative.
One of the policies requiring updates is the Water Use Restrictions Policy which will be
presented for commission consideration at the July 13 commission meeting. This is
timely considering how the extremely high temperatures and drought like conditions
are leading to greater outdoor water use, as crews are working to ensure sufficient
water supply for essential needs.
• I recently attended the Municipal Clerks and Finance Officers Association Annual
Conference held June 16 - 18 in St. Cloud, MN. Session topics included: Data Practices,
Communicating Across Generations, Future of Virtual Government Meetings, and Lead
Simply. In addition, the general sessions featured three excellent keynote speakers.
ATTACHMENTS:
• Bill Insert – Current Newsletter Summer Edition
• FAQ: Summer Energy Usage
• FAQ: Summer Water Usage
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SUMMER 2021THE CURRENT
ERMUMN.COM | 763.441.2020 | 13069 ORONO PARKWAY | PO BOX 430 | ELK RIVER, MN 55330-0430
Elk River Honors Its Past
Elk River’s first water tower was
built in 1920 by the Minneapolis
Steel and Machinery Company. This
100,000-gallon storage tank was a key
to the growth of Elk River. In earlier
years, fires had frequently destroyed
parts of the town. Providing a reliable
source of water greatly reduced the
risk of catastrophic damage.
The Jackson Street Water Tower remained in service until 1986, when the new one-million-
gallon Freeport Street Water Tower was built. The well was ultimately capped in 1996 and by
2008 ERMU was evaluating whether the maintenance costs for the nonfunctioning water tower
would be better used in tearing down the structure. In 2012, the Elk River Heritage Preservation
Commission worked to have the tower listed in the National Register of Historic Places, which
opened up options for funding maintenance and long-term preservation.
Through a grant from the Minnesota Historical Society and funds provided by ERMU, the
101-year-old Jackson Street Water Tower has been restored to its original state, with a silver
structure, red roof, and block letters. This initiative helps ensure that this 137-foot monument to
Elk River’s past will stand well into the future.
Pederson Named Tom Bovitz Scholarship Winner
ERMU is proud to announce that Karl Pederson is the
recipient of the 2021 Tom Bovitz Memorial Scholarship,
awarded in partnership with Minnesota Municipal Utilities
Association. Karl, a senior at Elk River High School, wrote
a thoughtful and well-researched essay on the benefits
of municipal utilities, which was selected as ERMU’s local
winner. He then went on to place second in the statewide
competition, earning a total of $2,000 toward his post-secondary education! His essay, “The
Many Advantages of Municipal Utilities” can be found on our website.
Quality on Tap
Your 2021 Water Quality Report has information on where
your water comes from, how ERMU protects it, and the
results of water samples taken in 2020. Customers can find it
at: www.ermumn.com/services/water/water-quality-report.
Hard copies of the report are available upon request.
Courtesy of Sherburne History Center
OUR
MISSION
OUR
VISION
To provide our customers
with safe, reliable, cost-
effective, and quality
long-term electric and
water utility services.
To communicate and
educate our customers
in the use of utility
services, programs,
policies, and future plans.
These products and
services will be provided
in an environmentally
and financially
responsible manner.
Provide exceptional
services and value to
those we serve.
INTEGRITY
QUALITY
COMMUNICATION
SAFETY
COMPETITIVE
OUR
VALUES
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WE WELCOME YOUR QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS: ERMUMN.COM | 763.441.2020
SUMMER 2021THE CURRENT
Field Services Facility Expansion Update
The expansion and upgrade to our field
services facility located near the Lake
Orono Dam is designed to improve
operations, allowing ERMU to better
serve the community.
Now that the Elk River Fire Department
has been able to use the two residences
on the corner of Main and Main Street for
training, earthwork can now begin during
the last two weeks in June.
For any questions or concerns please
contact Engineering Manager Chris
Kerzman at ckerzman@ermumn.com
or 763.635-1344.
Tune Up and Save!
An air conditioner needs frequent maintenance to
assure a long life and optimum performance. With
ERMU’s AC Tune-Up Program, electric customers can
receive up to a $60 bill credit toward the cost of a
tune-up by an HVAC professional.
Benefits of an air conditioner tune-up:
• Reduces wear and tear on your AC.
• Improves your unit’s efficiency by up to 15 percent.
• Stops energy bill increases caused by inefficiencies.
Be sure to contact ERMU to find out if funds are still available. Customers can also learn about
ERMU’s WiFi Thermostat and HVAC rebates in the sidebar to the left.
Spruce Up Your Sprinkler System
Watering lawns and landscapes accounts for more than half
the water used at home during the hot summer months. Is
your irrigation system ready for an efficient watering season?
You can check the system yourself for any clogged, broken, or
missing sprinkler heads or hire an irrigation professional who
is WaterSense certified. ERMU water customers can qualify
for a $50 rebate with a professional tune-up. Contact ERMU to
ensure funds are still available.
ERMU Commission and Staff at Groundbreaking Ceremony
Architectural Rendering of the Front of the Building
A WiFi thermostat offers
temperature control, in-depth
reporting, alerts, and energy
savings all at the touch of
a button.
ERMU offers a $25 rebate for
a WiFi-compatible thermostat
to residential electric
customers. Visit our website
for more information.
CONNECT TO COMFORT
Did you know that over half
of the energy used in your
home goes to heating and
cooling? When the time
comes to update your HVAC
equipment, ERMU makes
the smart choice an easy
one. Residential electric
customers can receive
rebates now toward the
purchase of energy efficient
HVAC equipment and enjoy
reduced energy costs for
years to come. Learn more
in the Programs and Rebates
section of our website.
WELCOME TO YOUR
COMFORT ZONE
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7/6/2021 ERMU FAQ: Summer Energy Usage | Elk River Municipal Utilities Blog
https://www.ermumn.com/blog/2021/07/06/ermu-faq-summer-energy-usage-2/
Our Blog ERMU FAQ: Summer Energy UsageJuly 6, 2021During the warm summer months, customers often contact our office with questions about their electric bill. With an ongoing mission to educate those we serve, we would like to provide answers to our most frequently asked energy questions. What causes my electric usage to go up in the summer?The biggest reason for higher electric bills in the summer is usually your air conditioner. Running your AC can cost about $0.50 per hour. And since we spend hundreds of hours in our homes every month it’s easy to see that comfort comes at a premium during this warmer season. Don’t forget that the hotter it is outside, the harder your unit has to work to maintain the temperature inside. ERMU does offer AC Tune-Up Rebates to help keep your system running efficiently. Did ERMU’s electric rates go up?ERMU reduced electric rates by 5% in 2019 and held that reduced rate with a 0% increase in both 2020 and 2021. If you notice increased electric charges compared to
last summer, there can be several causes including higher temperatures, changes in
usage, or a longer billing cycle.
How does the billing cycle affect my bill?
Using cycles allows us to distribute bills efficiently and helps keep costs low. This system
also creates variability in the number of days your bill represents. Generally, the more
days in a cycle, the higher the bill. For context, it can be helpful to divide your total
monthly usage by the number of days in that month’s cycle to determine your kWh per
day before comparing with previous billings.
How does ERMU know how much energy I use each billing period?
ERMU reads your meter before each billing. One of our fleet vehicles has equipment
that retrieves your data from the street. This vehicle passes every meter once a month to
make sure we are accurately billing customers.
What else should I know?
When you receive your bill, keep in mind that the total amount due incorporates several
services and fees beyond electric usage. Recent billing redesigns were intended to make
it clearer to customers where different charges originate and where they are applied, so
be sure to look closely at the breakdown on the back of your bill. Increased water usage
is a common source of higher bills in the summer.
Does ERMU offer any resources to help me reduce my energy usage?
YES! The Summer Energy Saving Checklist is a great tool to help you start saving energy
and money today.
The Connector is our free electronic newsletter that will provide energy saving tips to you
every month.
Your Guide to Home Energy Use was created to give customers the tools and
information they need to understand, track, and reduce their usage now and in the
future.
If you still have questions or would like specific details about your account, we are always
glad to take your call at 763.441.2020.
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7/6/2021 ERMU FAQ: Summer Water Usage | Elk River Municipal Utilities Blog
https://www.ermumn.com/blog/2021/07/06/ermu-faq-summer-water-usage/
Our Blog Search postsERMU FAQ: Summer Water UsageJuly 6, 2021Did you know that a gallon of water from ERMU costs less than half a cent!? But anabnormally dry start to summer has many customers seeing water bill increases andcontacting our office with questions. To help fulfill ERMU’s ongoing mission to educatethose we serve, here are answers to our most frequently asked water questions. What causes my water usage to go up in the summer?There are several possible causes for increased water usage, such as installing a pool ordiscovering leaks around the house. But our staff finds that higher usage in the summeris most often caused by increased or inefficient lawn irrigation. Luckily, ERMU watercustomers can learn simple methods to improve watering on their own or apply for arebate to have their irrigation system professionally tuned up. Did ERMU’s water rates go up?
ERMU residential water customers had a 0% increase in water rates from 2020 to 2021. If
you notice increased water charges compared to last summer, this could be because of
changes in usage due to different precipitation and heat levels, or a longer billing cycle.
How does the billing cycle affect my bill?
Using cycles allows us to distribute bills efficiently and helps keep costs low. This system
also creates variability in the number of days your bill represents. Generally, the more
days in a cycle, the higher the bill. For context, it can be helpful to divide your total
monthly usage by the number of days in that month’s cycle to determine your units per
day before comparing with previous billings. Also keep in mind that the total on your bill
incorporates several services and fees beyond water usage.
What is my water bill paying for?
Bill payments are necessary for the long-term stability of the system to cover the cost of
pumping, treating, storing, and distributing water to the community. As a publicly owned
utility, it is also important that the money collected does not exceed appropriate margins.
ERMU regularly studies its rates to ensure that responsible budget levels are met.
The tiered rate system for water is required by the DNR to help encourage mindful usage
of a finite resource and ensure customers pay their fair share based on that usage. You
can learn more about ERMU’s water rates here.
What else should I know?
There are two standing water restrictions for residents utilizing the city’s water system.
These restrictions state that customers should apply an even-odd day watering schedule
based on the last number of their address and that no lawn watering is to occur between
the hours of 10am and 6pm.
ERMU offers rebates to water customers for water-efficient appliances, which can help
you save water and money.
If you still have questions or would like specific details about your account, we are always
glad to take your call at 763.441.2020.
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