Wylie creates municipal drainage utility, sets $5 monthly fee for homes

Wylie — The Wylie City Council on Sept. 23 adopted ordinances to create a municipal drainage utility and to add drainage fees to the city fee schedule, establishing a dedicated funding stream for stormwater repairs and maintenance.

City staff said the utility will bill a flat $5 per month for single‑family homes and charge nonresidential properties based on equivalent residential units (ERUs), defined locally as 3,500 square feet of impervious surface. Council approved both measures, with amendments, by 6‑0 votes.

The ordinances formalize stormwater drainage as a public utility under the Texas Municipal Drainage System Act and add a separate line item on utility bills labeled for stormwater. "All revenue that's collected through this will be restricted for, is restricted by law, for drainage related, service improvements," said Tommy Weir, the staff presenter. The city plans to begin collecting the fee Jan. 1, 2026.

Why it matters: City officials told the council the drainage system includes aging pipes, culverts and open ditches across Wylie and that existing maintenance funding — roughly $225,000 a year — is insufficient for the backlog of repairs. Staff estimated the needed set of projects across the city could approach $50 million over multiple decades; adopting the utility dedicates fee revenue specifically for stormwater work rather than general fund spending.

What the council approved and how it will be used

The council adopted ordinance 2025‑35 to add Article 6…