Tim,
The water company here estimates the other way. That way when they do read the meter I am up into the surplus charge zone and pay more per gallon. I suspect they would go broke if they stopped this practice. Talked to the county attorney about it the other day (election coming up) about it, have to wait a week or so to see what he turns up. Might go back to cistern supply have a 5,000 gal one, with plenty of inflow from the roofs. Just hate getting ripped off.