in most places I've seen, there's no sewer fee, there's only a water fee
Wait, what?
they want the water back, so it can be processed and put back into the system
Oh, you live somewhere that's essentially a desert. Where water is plentiful, water and sewer are usually separate - sprinkler system goes on a separate water meter to avoid sewer charges (which for me are higher than the water charges).
If you're looking for low maintenance alternatives to a yard, fwiw, and you're in USDA zone 7 or higher, Asiatic jasmine will grow under almost any lighting conditions (from full sun to directly under a live oak), and only needs to be cut once a year. Very tolerant of steep slopes, too.
One man's constant is another man's variable. -- A.J. Perlis