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Utility consultant recommends no water, wastewater or stormwater rate increases for FY2026
Summary
At a Universal City budget workshop, utility-rate consultant Grady Reed presented the water, wastewater and stormwater five-year plan, recommending no rate increases for FY2026 while identifying planned capital projects, reserve targets and projected treatment-cost pressures.
Grady Reed, the city27s utility rate consultant, told the council at a July budget workshop that staff do not recommend raising water, wastewater or stormwater rates for FY2026.
Reed said the water program faces increased costs tied to a planned purchase of groundwater rights, two tank repainting projects (plants No. 8 and 9) and ongoing water-rehabilitation projects. He described a 2012 debt issue that retires in the current fiscal year and will be replaced in 2026 by new debt payments of about $530,000; the retired debt payment was about $360,000. Reed said the new 2026 debt service is being apportioned roughly half to water and half to wastewater.
On wastewater, Reed said residential sewer charges are modeled to increase about 5% in the short run, with commercial charges modeled at smaller initial increases. He projected that treatment-related expenses (including regional wholesale treatment…
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