In this week's issue...
Your water bill has two parts, too 💧
Last week we covered energy: delivery vs supply. Similar dynamic shows up on water…
Most owners look at one utility total and treat it like rent. It isn’t
A water bill is usually two lines mashed into one number:
Water ... what came in
Sewer ... what left the building
Total = water + sewer
Always show all three. Never collapse water and sewer into a single figure alone. If you only look at the sum, you cannot tell which half is moving... or whether a fix is even working
A recent hotel in Homestead, FL
We pulled a year of utility data for a hotel in Homestead. On water and sewer alone, they were spending roughly $132k a year… much of which can be reduced
The split was the tell:
Water ... about $36k
Sewer ... about $96k
Total ... ~$132k
Sewer was nearly 3× the water line. That is the kind of mash-up owners miss when the bill looks like one number under one logo
Working the water half (metering, flow, and whether the site’s usage still matches how it is billed) puts them on track for about $27k a year in avoided cost... roughly an 11-month payback on the fix
We can save the technical weeds for another day. The takeaway is simple: once you pull Water and Sewer apart, "utilities are high" stops being a vague headache and becomes an expense you can actually control
Three tips before you call anyone
Circle both lines. Last month’s bill. Water $. Sewer $. Write the sum. If those three are not obvious on the page, that is already a tell
Watch which half moves. Month to month, is Water $ climbing, Sewer $, or both? A leak, a rate change, and a usage spike look different once the lines are split
Don’t jump to a capital expense. LEDs and new chillers get the headlines. On water, the first wins are often clearer metering, finding silent waste, and checking whether the rate structure still matches how the site actually runs. Some operators bring in dedicated water-tech partners for that. The path still starts with a clean bill
Better still: reply to this email with 12 months of water bills… patterns hide in a single month. Or if you want a second set of eyes, grab 15 minutes on my calendar 😊
Trade your most painful business bill for a free drink next week 🍻
We’re just over a week away from the inaugural Bring Your Bill (BYB) happy hour, co-hosted with Michael J Design!
If you haven't RSVP'd yet, the deal is simple: You bring a frustrating business statement, service agreement, or contract 🧾 We buy your drinks
No pitches, just a great evening out. A few days later, we’ll send you a professional, zero-pressure review showing exactly where your business is overpaying on that invoice
The Details
⏰ When: Thursday, Sept 24, 2026 | 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM
📍 Where: The Gallery, 2 N Passaic Ave, Chatham, NJ 07928
💳 Cost: 100% Free
Can't make it to Chatham?
You can still get eyes on that bill and claim your free review 😊. Upload your document at bringyourbill.com/upload.
This week on the NJBIA podcast - Joe, Partner at ERC
Most business owners assume indirect operational expenses are fixed. If you're automatically renewing vendor contracts without a second look, or assuming you don't have the time to negotiate better rates, you are likely leaving thousands of dollars of profit on the table!
I recently sat down with Randy Stephens and Vinnie Civitillo on the Planet New Jersey podcast (the official podcast of the NJBIA) to break down how small to medium-sized businesses can catch hidden line-item leaks and capture real savings
During the episode, I shared how simple, risk-free reviews of everyday vendor contracts can yield serious bottom-line wins… from uncovering $14,000 in utility savings to cutting up to 50% off payroll processing fees.
What We Covered:
High-ROI Spend Categories: Where to look for quick wins, including utilities, waste management, and parcel shipping
The "Loyalty Tax": How vendor complacency quietly inflates your bills over time when contracts sit on autopilot
Zero Upfront Risk: How a 100% contingency model allows you to audit spend and capture savings without paying anything out-of-pocket unless you actually save
Check out the full interview on YouTube 👇
➡️ Watch the Podcast Episode Here ⬅️
Onwards and Upwards,
Joe Lapscher
Partner, ERC
Why you're getting this:
You're receiving this because we've met at a networking event, worked together, or signed up for my newsletter online, which I really appreciate.
I send 2-4 emails a month with practical thoughts on expense reduction, plus the occasional heads-up on something like this webinar. I respect your time and inbox.