Georgetown council adopts $25.36 million FY‑26 water and sewer budget, stresses plant upgrades and conservative growth assumptions

The Georgetown City Council on Monday approved the Fiscal Year 2026 operating and capital budget for the Georgetown Municipal Water and Sewer Service, a $25,359,991 revenue plan City staff said will fund ongoing operations, capital projects and the completion of a wastewater treatment plant upgrade.

City staff presented the budget and answered council questions before the council voted by voice in favor. Staff said the budget is built on the city’s February 2023 water and sanitary sewer rate ordinance and conservative assumptions about new connections and consumption.

City staff said the budget reflects revenue of $25,359,991, an 18.59% increase from the FY25 budget, and projects operational expenditures of $24,289,856 plus roughly $3.1 million in interest expense. Major drivers include depreciation tied to Plant 1 becoming beneficially usable (staff projected beneficial use by Sept. 30, 2025 and included 10 months of depreciation), increased water purchases while the plant is taken offline for maintenance, higher sludge disposal costs, and planned capital work on interceptors and…