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Council approves higher commercial and industrial sewer surcharge; average affected customer faces $168 monthly increase
Summary
The city approved a resolution increasing the commercial and industrial sewer surcharge to better align treatment costs with higher‑strength dischargers; staff said about 214 customers will be affected and the change will raise monthly surcharge revenue from roughly $12,000 to $46,000.
Mineral Wells city council on Monday approved an increase to commercial and industrial sewer surcharges designed to make higher‑strength wastewater users pay more of the cost to treat their effluent.
Staff explained that the city’s wastewater treatment system is sized for domestic‑strength sewage and that industrial and commercial dischargers often produce wastewater with higher biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) and total suspended solids (TSS). The surcharge increase adjusts the per‑unit treatment charge and moves the cost to treat BOD and TSS to $1.71 and $1.54 respectively. The presentation said the surcharge base rate will change to 0.0058 (from 0.001488).
Officials said about 214 commercial/industrial customers will be affected; the change is expected to increase monthly surcharge revenue from approximately $12,000 to $46,000, with an average increase per affected customer of $168.28 per month. Staff noted the highest monthly impact on a single customer could be up to about $5,000 (one customer cited as moving from about $1,800 to just north of $5,000).
Council approved the resolution unanimously. Staff said the city will mail and email a notice to affected customers and will hold two informational sessions scheduled for Sept. 25 and Sept. 29 to explain the change and answer questions.
