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Council authorizes Raftelis rate study to evaluate North Texas MWD contract impacts
Summary
The Lucas City Council authorized the city manager to contract with Raftelis for a $29,900 water and wastewater rate study to analyze effects from the North Texas Municipal Water District contract; the study is expected to take 3–4 months.
Development Services Director Joe Hilburn told the council the recommended contract with Raftelis is already budgeted and will help the city model customer rates, including the financial implications of a North Texas Municipal Water District contract option. “It's 5¢ per thousand gallons more than a member city rate,” Hilburn said when explaining the initial surcharge; he added that after one year the effective premium could settle at a capped 2.8% above member-city rates depending on usage patterns.
Hilburn described the $29,900 scope (3–4 month timeline from notice to proceed) and recommended including major upcoming projects — such as ground storage and anticipated water-main relocations — in the rate study so it captures near- and longer-term costs. Council members asked that AMI metering data and tiered customer pricing be considered in the study to help target high-volume users.
The council moved and approved authorization for the city manager to negotiate and enter into the Raftelis contract.
