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Utilities trust proposes $1.3 billion FY26 capital program; recycling contamination and service metrics raised
Summary
Vanessa Aguilar presented the FY26 utilities trust and city utilities budgets, highlighting large capital plans for water and wastewater projects and operational targets; council discussed recycling contamination and public communications about utility performance.
Vanessa Aguilar, business manager for the utilities department, presented the proposed FY26 budget for the Oklahoma City Water Utilities Trust and the city utilities operations.
Aguilar said the trust budget is proposed at $1,300,000,000 and described major funding sources and planned uses: roughly $732,000,000 in debt construction fund proceeds, about $576,000,000 planned for water projects and roughly $156,000,000 for wastewater projects as presented. She said service charges were expected to contribute about $517,000,000 and withdrawals from cash reserves approximately $22,000,000 to cover projects deferred from FY25. Aguilar added that about 70% of planned expenditures (approximately $897,000,000) are capital improvements and that $257,000,000 of projects were rescheduled from FY25 to FY26 primarily for financing reasons.
On operating and organizational changes, Aguilar said the utilities program shows an overall 6.6% adjustment over the FY25 adopted budget, that the department proposes adding two facility and plant mechanic II positions and a planner/scheduler, and that the total proposed headcount would be 828 positions. She described planned awards including final segments of the second Atoka pipeline, Overholser Dam structural improvements, and improvements at Deer Creek and Draper facilities.
During questions from council, recycling and contamination became a point of discussion. Chris Browning, utilities director, said household participation in curbside recycling is "over 90%" and that contamination is running "about 30%"; he said the department would like to reduce contamination below 20%. Browning explained that contamination frequently results from placing recyclables in plastic bags and said Waste Management processes and sells collected materials under contract. Council members asked for clearer public messaging and suggested site tours and outreach to show what happens to recyclables after collection.
Other operational metrics Aguilar highlighted included targets for customer calls answered within 30 seconds (target 85%) and solid-waste route completion by 5 p.m. (target 95%). Council members praised the department's national comparisons and asked staff to consider distributing performance slides in customer bills.
Ending: No formal action was taken; staff will provide follow-up outreach materials and consider additional public messaging on recycling and utility performance.
