Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Utility Rates topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Council hears winter‑averaging options after freeze; staff to drop highest month for current billing cycle
Summary
Staff presented three options for handling sewer winter averaging after recent freezes; council expressed support for moving from a three‑month to a four‑month average (dropping the highest month) and directed staff to drop the highest month for the current billing cycle pending an ordinance vote later.
Town staff presented three policy options to respond to water usage increases from multi‑day freeze events: (1) create a formal freeze declaration with an automatic relief trigger; (2) expand the winter‑averaging period from three to four months and drop the highest month; or (3) retain the current yearly evaluation approach and act on a case‑by‑case basis. Staff noted the town lacks a freeze trigger in code and showed peer practices; the four‑month, drop‑highest approach was the most commonly used among nearby Texas cities.
"It would add 95 gallons to your winter average... which I think equates to about 50¢ per month," staff said when describing the maximum modeled impact of a 5‑day continuous drip during the January freeze. Council members debated administrative burden and fairness; several favored option 2 as the clearest and lowest‑burden fix for most residents. The mayor asked staff to drop the highest billing month for this year (the freeze period) so winter averaging can complete for the current cycle, with a formal ordinance on option 2 to be brought back for council vote at a future meeting.
Councilors also discussed metering capabilities and the limits of current billing software, which staff said cannot isolate specific days in a month for exclusion; the town's utility software treats a month as the billing unit. Staff will return with draft ordinance language and a proposed implementation schedule.
