本文从通用汽车公司（GM）的角度对工业用水的可用性和定价进行了观察。本文讨论了区分服务一类与另一类成本的四个主要因素，包括客户的需水量和负荷系数、季节性用水以及专用于服务该类的公用设施数量。还讨论了服务成本研究和基于成本的公用事业费率、工业客户费率设计、连接费用、可用性费用、公用事业的财务考虑以及水务公用事业公司与通用汽车公司之间的合同的重要性。

Observations on the availability and pricing of water for industrial use are presented here from the viewpoint of the General Motors Corporation (GM). The article discusses four primary factors that distinguish the cost of serving one class from another including water demand and load factor of customers, seasonal use of water, and amount of utility plant dedicated to serving that class. The importance of cost-of-service studies and cost-based rates for the utility, rate design for industrial customers, connection charges, availability charges, financial considerations for utilities, and contracts between water utilities and GM are also addressed.