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City staff propose meter‑equivalency charges, 4% water and 12% sewer increases; seniors kept at $8 base
Summary
Staff proposed moving to a meter‑equivalency base charge and a multi‑year rate plan including a 4% water and 12% sewer increase in year one; staff said most residential customers would see a modest base‑charge rise and qualified seniors would remain at $8 per month.
City staff presented a multi‑year plan to change Richardson’s water and wastewater pricing from a flat base charge to a meter‑equivalency structure and to phase in rate increases to cover rising wholesale and capital costs.
"We're proposing to transition to a meter equivalency rate structure," Don Magner told the council, explaining the plan would tie base charges to meter size so customers with larger meters pay a larger base charge. Staff proposed a 4% water and 12% sewer increase in year one and said the typical 0.75‑inch residential meter base would rise from $8 to $9.60 this year and could approach $20 by 2030. Magner also said qualified seniors with standard meters would continue to pay the $8 monthly charge automatically or by contacting customer service.
Magner highlighted drivers for the change: rising wholesale water prices (estimated to rise to about $5.04 per 1,000 gallons in two years), an approximately $84 million five‑year capital plan (reduced about $20 million to smooth debt service), and staffing shortages — a nearly 29% vacancy rate in the water/wastewater department that staff said requires pay and recruitment strategies such as certification pay, a career ladder and retention bonuses.
