Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Utilities topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Council approves water and wastewater rate increases; consultant cites underinvestment in wastewater
Summary
Weatherford approved a utility rate ordinance intended to bolster reserves and capital investment, with staff and consultant projecting average residential bills to rise about $3.64 per month next year largely because of wastewater cost increases.
The council approved an ordinance adjusting municipal utility rates after a presentation by utility staff and consultant NewGen Strategies and Solutions. Consultant Chris Eckert told council the recommended increases — small on the water side, larger on wastewater — were necessary "to maintain revenue sufficiency of our business" and to fund capital needs and debt-service obligations.
Eckert walked council through impacts on typical customers: for an average residential household (6,500 gallons of water and 3,500 gallons of sewer use) the monthly bill was presented as rising by about $3.64 next year. Staff and the consultant said the wastewater increases reflect historic underinvestment, increased regulatory costs, and the need to maintain debt-coverage ratios. Resident Lynn Baber asked several policy questions during public comment, challenging rate design differences between residential and commercial accounts and in-city versus out-of-city rates; staff said many of those design choices were part of the rate study assumptions and offered to follow up.
The ordinance had been recommended by the utility board and passed on council vote screens after a motion, with council members recorded as supporting the measure. Council directed staff to respond to public questions raised during comment.
