Less than five weeks before a hearing on their plan to start charging metered rates for home water use, Fresno city officials are pointing to a nationwide survey as evidence that their proposed new rates are lower than most other cities.

Using data from an American Water Works Association survey conducted last year, city analysts calculated that median residential bills for the 61 large (more than 200,000 people served) cities in the survey were $59.23 per month for 22,440 gallons, a typical level of consumption. Fresno homeowners with the same consumption would pay $28.33 per month under the new rates.

The difference was almost as noticeable at 11,220 gallons per month -- $19.18 for Fresno compared to $32.30 for the median of the other large cities. At lower levels of consumption, however, the difference almost vanished. Homes using a minimal 3,740 gallons per month would pay $13.08 in Fresno and $13.61 for the other cities.

The Nov. 5 hearing begins at 5 p.m. at Fresno City Hall. It is part of a legal process that also gives ratepayers an opportunity to file protests; to block the new rates would require valid protests from more than half of the city's water customers.