Arlington residents, who already have some of the lowest water costs in North Texas, won't see an increase in residential water rates this year. Other rate changes took effect Jan. 1, 2017. The new rates are detailed in a brochure headed to homes and businesses in water utility bills this month.
The typical residential customer's monthly utility bill will increase by $2.48 per month, reflecting a 4.85 percent increase in wastewater, or sanitary sewer service, rates.
"Increases in water utility rates are fueled largely by increases in the cost of raw water purchases and wastewater treatment costs, both of which went up more than 6 percent this year," said Buzz Pishkur, Director of Arlington Water Utilities. "The fact that our typical bill increase is far less than 6 percent, in addition to residential water rates remaining steady, is a credit to our employees, who work diligently to find operating efficiencies and reduce controllable costs."
Water and wastewater rates for fiscal year 2017, which began October 1, were approved by the Arlington City Council as part of the city budget in September. This is the fourth straight year that the Arlington City Council has authorized money from the Water/Wastewater Rate Stabilization Fund be used to delay rate increases for residents until Jan. 1, thus reducing the annual increase by 25 percent.
Arlington Water funds improvements to its infrastructure and water treatment facilities primarily through revenue bond funds. As one example of creating operating efficiencies in 2016, the utility applied for and was awarded a $2.4 million low interest loan from the Texas Water Development Board to upgrade sanitary sewer lines. The amount included a $359,700 grant and the balance came with an interest rate of just 0.37 percent, saving Arlington residents $460,028 over 20 years.
For more information on current rates, please visit: http://www.arlington-tx.gov/water/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2017/01/Rates-brochure-2017.pdf
News, Water Utilities