By Karen Gleason
The 830 Times
City water rates will increase again in October as the city enters the third year of a five-year plan approved by the council last year.
Council members discussed the ongoing rate increases during a presentation on the city’s enterprise funds at a budget workshop Tuesday.
While providing an overview of the city’s water fund, Interim Finance Director Roxy Soto reminded council members that the current rates are part of a five-year rate recovery plan that runs through fiscal year 2029.
Soto displayed a table of the adopted rates, beginning with the fixed charges for water system customers.
Councilwoman Carmen Gutierrez asked whether changes had been made following discussions with representatives of The Border Organization.
“I know you’ve been meeting with representatives of The Border Organization, and I know we’ve met also regarding these adopted water rates, with the stipulation that everyone was going to go back to the drawing board and discuss it for the future,” Gutierrez said. “So have there been any changes made since those discussions were completed?”
Interim City Manager Manuel Chavez said there had been no changes.
“What you see in front of you is what was adopted and what was recommended from the rate consultant,” Chavez said. “We, as you mentioned, have been meeting with The Border Organization, and we’ve received their proposal. At this point, we’re recommending continuing with the recommendations of the rate consultant.”
“So then there’s been no changes,” Gutierrez said. “I just wanted to clarify that. Thank you.”
Mayor Al Arreola then asked whether council members had additional questions.
Councilman LeRoy Briones noted the proposed budget includes $13,070,500 in water fund revenue and $13,058,900 in costs. He asked whether the city’s water fund included a reserve fund.
“Yes,” Soto replied.
Soto then presented the water fund’s volumetric charges.
“These are based on consumption, so depending on what you consume, that is the rate that is applied,” Soto said.
Briones asked Soto to explain the difference between fixed and volumetric charges.
“For the fixed charges, this is a flat fee that is applied to all customers, depending on the size of the meter you have, and it depends if you’re residential or nonresidential, or commercial,” Soto said.
She said a customer with a 1-inch meter currently pays a flat rate of $19.60 per month.
“That is the minimum amount that you are required to pay” for that size meter, Soto said.
The volumetric rate is based on the number of gallons of water a customer uses during the month.
Councilman Leno Hernandez Jr. asked Chavez to explain the reasoning behind the city’s tiered system.
“Am I right to assume the person who uses less water is not subsidizing the person who uses the most?” Hernandez asked.
“Correct,” Chavez replied. “If you have zero consumption, all you’re paying is the base rate, but the more you use, the more you’re going to be charged. It allows you to gauge how much you are willing to pay, and it also allows you to come up with, ‘Hey, I want to conserve, so I don’t want to hit the next tier.’ That’s the main basis behind this type of philosophy. Again, the more you use, the more you’re going to be charged.”
Chavez said customers who consistently use less than 3,000 gallons per month remain at the lowest volumetric rate of $3.80.
“Right now, the heavy users are really the ones who are paying for the majority of this,” Chavez said.
Briones said he would like the city to give customers more information about their water consumption.
“Could we ever get to a point where we could send a text or a notification that said you’re teetering on going to Tier 2, so the consumer can know where they stand?” Briones asked.
City Purchasing Agent Luis Menchaca said this year’s utility billing budget includes funding for software that will allow residents to view their bills and monitor consumption.
“Anybody that has the automated meter, they will be able to set specifications on there,” Menchaca said. “They will be able to set certain parameters that, whenever they’re crossed, the customer will be sent a notification.”
Gutierrez asked which meter size is most commonly used in the community. Chavez said the three-quarter-inch meter is the most common among residential water customers.
The writer can be reached at delriomagnoliafan@gmail.com.
