Citizen Connection Feb 2020Each month, City staff will answer your utility
and property questions in our Ask an Expert
column. This month, we’re focusing on property
maintenance with Community Services. The
Community Services Division works with residents
and businesses to preserve the health, beauty,
safety, and property values of the community
through compliance with City codes.
Question: What kinds of code violations does
Community Services enforce?
Answer: We enforce the Denton Property
Maintenance Code, which governs how citizens
maintain their properties. For example, removing
trash from your property, cutting your grass, and
keeping your home in good condition are all part
of this code. You can find the code at
www.cityofdenton/CIS.
Question: When a complaint is filed, does your
office share the name of the complainant?
Answer: Our office never gives out information
that might identify who filed a complaint.
Question: I received a Notice of Violation in the
mail. Do I have to pay a fine?
Answer: No. A notice explains the violation(s)
observed on your property and what is needed to
correct it. There is no fine to pay if a violation(s) is
corrected by the deadline stated in the Notice.
Question: Can a Community Services Officer
come onto my property and look for violations?
Answer: Only with permission or with a warrant
from a judge.
Question: What if my neighbor has a violation in
their backyard?
Answer: You can give an officer permission to
enter your property so they can see the violation.
However, officers will not climb ladders or other
objects to look over fences.
To send in a question for this column, email
communications@cityofdenton.com.
Ask an Expert: Frequently
Asked Property Maintenance
Questions
Confused about how to properly dispose of
certain items? Use the new Waste Wizard
search feature (also available in Spanish) to
find the best disposal solutions for hundreds
of items. Proper disposal prevents recycling
contamination, diverts waste from the landfill,
and gives old items a new life.
To use the Waste Wizard search feature, visit
www.cityofdenton.com/recycling.
Type in the item you are looking to get rid of.
See options for disposal!
For more information on waste collection,
call Customer Service at (940) 349-8700.
Learn Proper Disposal
with Waste Wizard
Dyno Dirt is a
nutrient-rich compost
containing no added
soil, sand, or fillers
and is an excellent soil
amendment. For smaller
gardening projects,
Dyno Dirt is now
available in 1-cubic-foot
bags at the Pecan Creek
Wastewater Treatment
Plant, 1100 S. Mayhill
Rd., and is priced at
$4 per bag.
Pick yours up Tuesday – Saturday, 7 a.m. - 3 p.m.
For questions, call 940-349-8290 or email
monica.benavides@cityofdenton.com. For more
information, visit www.cityofdenton.com/dyno.
Fix a Leak Week
Conserve water and participate in National Fix a
Leak Week, March 16-21. Join the City of Denton
Sustainability Department on Tuesday, March 17 at
6 p.m. for a water conservation and leak detection
class held at 1001 S. Mayhill Rd.
During the class, Sustainability will distribute
low-flow fixtures such as faucet aerators and
low-flow shower heads. By participating in this
national effort, we commit to reduce the 1 trillion
gallons lost nationwide every year to water leaks.
For more tips on leaks, follow City of Denton
Sustainability on Facebook and keep up with our
posts throughout Fix a Leak Week.
For informational videos on fixing leaks from
toilets, faucets, and outdoor sprinkler systems, visit
www.epa.gov/watersense/fix-leak-week.
How to Read your Monthly Electric Bill
You Can Now Purchase
Bagged Dyno Dirt
Reading a utility bill can be confusing and
frustrating, so Denton Municipal Electric (DME)
is breaking it down for you in this short guide.
See the bill example below to learn more about
the electric billing codes, and stay tuned for
next month’s Citizen Connection to learn
about residential electric rates.
A publication of the City of Denton Department of Public Affairs
ADA/EOE/ADEA • TDD (800) 735-2989 • www.cityofdenton.com
Note: Your utility bill consists of several
municipal services, including water,
wastewater, sewage, trash, and electricity. This
guide is meant to help you understand the
electric portion of your utility bill only.
The first seven numbers of your account number is unique to the service location. The last two numbers is the occupant code;
this number changes each time there is a new resident at the service address.
The cycle number represents the billing cycle and identifies the dates a meter is read and the invoicing process begins.
The service period corresponds to the billing cycle. Billing days show how many days are being billed during this period.
This is the meter number and should match the number physically located on the meter at the service address.
City service type: E stands for electric.
Electric rate type: R2 stands for Residential and the 1 stands for Single-Phase.
The previous read is the number which your meter began the billing cycle.
The current read is the number which your meter ended the billing cycle and will begin the next billing cycle.
The difference between the previous read and current read should equal the billing cycle usage.
Residential Rate Bill Calculation
Facility Charge: $8.67 $8.67 Usage Charge:
First 600 kWh $0.0684 $41.04 Addtl 245 kWh $0.0455 $11.15
Energy Cost Adjustment: $0.0341 $28.81
TOTAL $89.67
Facility Charge – fixed monthly rate that recovers costs associated with customer service, metering, meter reading, billing, and
accounting.
Usage Charge – fixed rate based on kWh that recovers costs associated with poles, substations, lines, and equipment needed for delivery.
The Energy Cost Adjustment or Energy Rate is a variable rate charged per kWh to recover costs associated with generation and
fuel.
Meter number: This
number should match
the number physically
located on the meter at
the service address.
City service type: E stands
for electric.
Electric rate type: R2
stands for Residential
and the 1 stands for
Single-Phase.
Previous reading: the
number your meter
started at for this billing
cycle.
Current reading: the
ending meter number for
this billing cycle and the
starting read for the next
billing cycle.
Billing cycle usage: This
is the difference between
the previous reading and
current reading.
Facility Charge: fixed monthly rate that covers costs
associated with customer service, metering, meter
reading, billing, and accounting.
Usage Charge: fixed rate based on kWh that covers costs
associated with poles, substations, lines, and equipment
needed for delivery.
The Energy Cost Adjustment: the variable rate charged
per kWh to cover generation and fuel costs.
Helpful Resources:
Bill Related Questions – Email
Customer.Service@cityofdenton.com or call
Customer Service at (940) 349-8700.
Report an Outage – Use the Engage Denton App
or call Dispatch at (940) 349-7000.
For more information, visit www.dmepower.com.