Three Mt. Elliott Cemetery Association locations have recently been affected by adjustments in their water and sewer rates.  Sharpe Engineering has assisted MECA with mitigating these increased bills by attempting to prove to the local municipality that the rates are incorrect per previous agreements.  At the affected cemeteries the sewer usage is assumed to be equal to the water usage.  However, because of the immense amount of water used for irrigation in the summer months and the fact that the cemeteries are largely pervious surfaces this equality is not indicative of the load that that is being added to the sewer system.  Sharpe Engineering performed calculations to find the runoff factor for the cemeteries.  Sharpe Engineering also has represented MECA before municipality officials and the Detroit Water and Sewerage Department.