Mexico council approves 2% wastewater rate increase; ordinance 2025-71 passes unanimously

The Mexico City Council voted unanimously on Oct. 27 to adopt Bill 2025-71, an ordinance amending the Mexico City Code (chapter 40, article 3, division 4, section 4160a) to implement a 2% increase in sanitary sewer user charges.

At a public hearing preceding the vote, Finance Director Vicki Dinky said the city’s current billing components include a user charge of $1.50, a capital charge of $6.46 and a base rate of $10.21. Dinky said a 2% increase would change those components to $1.53, $6.59 and $10.41, respectively, and that for an average residential usage of 5,000 gallons per month the proposal would raise the bill by about $1.

"That 2% rate increase would take care of our additional operating cost, capital needs, and debt service," Dinky said during the hearing.

Dinky said users outside the city’s corporate limits are billed at 200% of the rate; she named Vandiver Village as an example of an out-of-city customer group that is billed at that multiplier. She also reviewed the city’s prior capital improvements and bond financing dating from 2008–2011 and said planners expect a larger wastewater facility update around 2032 when current bonds mature.

Council closed the public hearing, read Bill 2025-71 and then voted for passage. A roll call recorded "yes" votes from Weber, Miller, Ray, Briggs and Hague; no "no" votes or abstentions were recorded on the transcript.

The ordinance will adjust the city’s wastewater billing as described; the transcript did not specify an effective date beyond passage at this meeting.