The first of four large water rate hikes for Rockdale customers is on the verge of being finalized and now City Manager Chris Whittaker wants to hear ideas from the public on how it should be fine tuned.
A “Water Action Group” meeting is set for 6 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 31, at the city library.
Whittaker said that meeting will differ from the recent town halls—a third session was held last Thursday at the Patterson Center—in that he wants specific ideas from the public about the new rates to present before the city council.
RELIEF—Unanimous first reading approval of the initial rate hike ordinance was Jan. 14 and the second, and final, reading is on the agenda for the council’s Feb. 11 meeting.
The first rate hike—an average bill is estimated to go from $73.83 to $106.69 this year—is to fund $10-million in planning and design for $48-million in water and $15-million-plus in sewer system improvements.
It’s also hoped those designs will satisfy federal and state environmental agencies who have the authority to levy fines if the city doesn’t show evidence it’s working on identified violations.
Recurring topics of conversations at all three town halls have been the rate hikes’ increase on senior citizens and low-income residents on fixed incomes.
A number have pleaded for relief in the rates’ final forms.
“Exactly what kind of relief is the kind of input we will be taking from the public Jan. 31,” Whittaker said. “I plan to bring a pad and pen and write down suggestions and take them back before the council.”
He noted the first reading of the rate increase has already cleared the council, and second reading will be in February, if the council does grant some kind of relief the action it would probably be in the form of an amendment.
WHO PAYS?—Whittaker noted, and it has been pointed out at the town halls, that any lessening of the rate burden on one group would inevitably result in addition burden on other ratepayers.
Another issue raised at the town halls has been water meters.
The new rates are based on a standard 3/4-inch water meter size, but some residents have noted they have one-inch, even two-inch, meters which will result in even higher bills.
City officials have pledged to work with owners of larger meters to change them to the less expensive 3/3-inch size but no details have been formalized.
“I’m sure that’s one of the things we are going to hear about Jan. 31,” Whittaker said. “Who pays for the changeout. Is it the city? Is it the home owner? Is it a combination of both? We’d like input on how that should happen.”
Whittaker noted in any event the changeouts will happen over many months, perhaps years.
“It could possibly be something like a customer could opt into a program where they would be on a list to get their larger meter replaced with a 3/4-inch, and then the city could change them out as we got to it,” he said. “That’s going be a large project spread over time.”
“In the interim the customer might be charged at the lower, 3/4-inch rate,” Whittaker said. “But, again that’s something the council will ultimately decide.”
ENGINEER—Whittaker said some issues raised at the town halls have fallen outside the scope of the water rate questions.
Twice the city has been urged to employ a city engineer to review and deal with the massive water and sewer project.
Whittaker told The Reporter since creating that new position, and hiring an individual to fill it, would be a “budget decision,” such consideration would need to come before the council during the budget preparation process in the summer.
WILD CARDS—Even though some kind of rate hike is assured this year its final form it will take is dependent upon a number of wild cards, including the possibility of purchasing already treated water from other entities.
Whittaker has asked for feasibility studies from Southwest Milam Water Supply Corporation, Blue Water and Aqua Water but those studies are not expected until this spring, after the final reading of the initial rate increase ordinance.
That would alleviate some, or most, of the improvements needed at the city’s new water treatment plants.
But, Whittaker pointed out, it would also leave the city system at the mercy of those entities’ water rates.
NO WAY—Water and sewer rate increases are to fund $48-million in water system improvements—including 26 miles of new pipes—and $15-million-plus in sewer system improvements.
The city has received approval for a $500,000 Texas Water Development Board grant and a $3-million interest free loan.
Apparently that message has been garbled as it filtered through the rumor mill and social media.
Both The Reporter and city received communications during the past week asking if it is true “Rockdale received a grant for the entire funding of the project.”
Answer to that is an emphatic “no”.
See editorial, page 5A.
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