Who Has the Most Expensive Municipal Water in the Hudson Valley?
It seems like everywhere I've lived, people think they're getting the shaft. From taxes to traffic and everything in between, it's hard not to feel like the grass is always greener somewhere else. So where does water prices fall? It should come as no surprise that each town and city in the Hudson Valley has their own water department, and with that comes a different water source and a different water price. So who is actually getting the shaft and who is making out like a bandit when it comes to public water in the Hudson Valley? They're ranked below.
Average Household Water Use
Two things to note about water usage: first, most water is measured in "units", with one unit equaling 748 gallons of water. Also for context, the average American household uses 300 gallons of water (just under a half-unit if you're keeping track) per DAY.
Cheapest Water in the Hudson Valley
The rankings take into account the most recent water reports from eight of the highest-populated towns and cities in the Mid-Hudson Valley. They include the town and city of Poughkeepsie, NY, New Windsor, NY, Middletown, NY, the town and city of Newburgh, NY, Beacon, NY and Kingston, NY. The districts all report their price of water per unit, and many also include the minimum quarterly bill that residents can expect. So from cheapest to most expensive, here's how the prices break down:
8. Water Prices in the Town of Poughkeepsie, NY
The town of Poughkeepsie is the cheapest on the list and also one of the only water departments that has a flat rate. They charge $2.50 per-unit, which equals a price $0.003-per-gallon. If only gas was that affordable... Using the average water consumption figures supplied by the EPA, residents can expect to pay an average of $365.73-per-year, or roughly one dollar per-day. The minimum yearly charge is $75.21.
7. Water Prices in Kingston, NY
Kingston, like the Town of Newburgh below, has a tiered price. Their price is listed as $12.29-per-unit for the first 4 units of water, with a massive decrease to $3.48-per-unit for the next 16 units. Again, we don't need to get bogged down in numbers, but by looking at all price tiers, the average American consumption of 109,500 gallons of water in a year would cost a Kingston household $441.96.
6. Water Prices in the Town of Newburgh, NY
The town of Newburgh, of which I am a proud resident, has the third-cheapest public water on the list, coming in at $2.00 per unit. The small caveat is that this price is only for the first 10 units (7,500 gallons). Afterwards, the price goes up to $3.45 per unit for the next 10,000 gallons. It's a lot of numbers, but the bottom line is that by referencing average national consumption, a resident of the town of Newburgh, NY can expect to pay $523.14 in a year.
5. Water Prices in Beacon, NY
Beacon residents use water that costs them $4.28-per-unit, or $0.0057-per-gallon.Using the same math, a yearly water bill in Beacon, NY should be roughly $626.45. For context, that could be a round-trip flight to Europe.
4. Water Prices in the City of Poughkeepsie, NY
The city of Poughkeepsie is just above Beacon in terms of price, coming in at $4.30-per-unit. The two cent difference hardly becomes larger when you look at a year of water usage either, with the average town of Poughkeepsie household expecting to pay $629.41 in a year.
3. Water Prices in the City of Newburgh, NY
The city of Newburgh charges $5.57-per-unit of water. While this means that an average household would pay $815.38 in a year, even the most conservative households will pay a minimum water bill of $20 each quarter, or $80 in a year.
2. Water Prices in New Windsor, NY
New Windsor charges almost a dollar more per-unit than the City of Newburgh, with prices in 2020 coming in at $6.52-per-unit. Again using average household consumption figures, an annual water bill would be $954.40. New Windsor, NY's minimum charge is $156-per-year.
1. Water Prices in the City of Middletown, NY
The most expensive water on this list comes from Orange County, NY. There's a decent price jump for Middletown, NY. At $7.50-per-unit, and it's the highest rate on this list. That equals a yearly bill of $1,092.23, or a budget trip to Disney World.
Speaking of water, check out this gorgeous waterfront house for sale in Kingston, NY (hey, at least you know how much your water bill will be!)
Waterfront Home in Kingston
This Kingston Castle Comes Complete with a Secret Tunnel