How can we create a fee schedule for water use in our Home Owner association?

This is easy.

Determine what you are being charged for water. If your water source is free, then research water fee structures in nearby communities, cities, or locations.

Usually, water fees are described in units of one hundred cubic feet (CcF) of water, equal to 748 gallons.

An American family of four can use 30 gallons of water per day per person or just under five CcFs per month. This is an estimate, an average.

You can bracket usage, to make it easier to establish the use fees. For example:

• 0-3 CcF (base fee, may be included in basic 'water fee')
• 4-8 CcF
• 9-12 CcF
• 13-17 Ccf

At some point, you can charge more for single CcFs.

In addition, consider landscape maintenance, pool water use and so forth. This means that you can reasonably apportion home use by use, and landscape and pool water by overall use, divided by the number of owners.

Owners who wash their cars on the property should pay for that water use. You can add that caveat -- and others as appropriate -- to your fee schedule.