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Water utility outlines near‑term revenue gaps, major plant projects and PFAS treatment funding options
Summary
Water utility staff said the FY2027 water and wastewater budget would increase about 8.7% driven by O&M and capital; they estimated a $10M water revenue gap and $6.3M wastewater gap and described multi‑hundred‑million‑dollar capital projects and a loan‑forgiveness proposal for PFAS treatment.
The Fort Worth water utility at the June 16 work session presented an 8.7% proposed budget increase for combined water and wastewater driven largely by operations, plant maintenance and major capital projects.
Chris Harter said O&M increases — chemicals, power, personnel and meter work — and wholesale cost inputs from TRWD and TRA account for much of the pressure. Major capital projects include the Mary's Creek plant (about $430M) and the Eagle Mountain plant expansion (about $300M) and associated pipelines and transmission main replacement work.
Harter said the water system faces approximately a $10M funding gap (about 3.6%) and the wastewater system a roughly $6.3M gap (about 2.85%). Staff proposed a rate design that keeps the lower residential tiers unchanged, places modest increases on upper tiers and adds fixed, meter‑size based charges of about $1.15 per month combined, which staff estimated would result in under a $1.50 monthly average increase for many customers.
On PFAS, Harter said the utility has pursued litigation and grant/loan options. The city opted out of a 3M/Dow settlement, opted into settlements with BASF and Tyco and has received roughly $4M in settlement payments; staff has spent about $9M on PFAS plant design work to date. The utility applied for a water development board loan with loan forgiveness (cited at about $177M) to cover PFAS treatment at the Holly complex and said staff is monitoring changing PFAS rulemaking and funding windows.
Harter said staff will continue wholesale and retail stakeholder meetings as final TRWD and TRA numbers are received and asked the council for feedback on the preliminary rate design.
