Garland (WBAP/KLIF News) – The Cities of Garland, Mesquite, Plano and Richardson say their residents have been overpaying for water. The cities are part of the 13-city North Texas Municipal Water District and are calling for the organization to change the way it sets rates.
The North Texas Municipal Water District does not charge based on how much a city uses each year. Instead, NTMWD bills cities based on the year the city used the most water.
“We firmly believe that requesting a new rate methodology that is fair, that encourages water conservation is in the best interest of the entire region,” says Plano City Manager Bruce Glasscock.
The cities say they have spent a total of $178 million for water they did not use. Plano Mayor Harry LaRosiliere says cities are paying for amounts of water set before the drought and better technology cut usage.
“The North Texas Water District structure is fundamentally inconsistent with conservation,” he says.
The North Texas Water District has been meeting with its 13 member cities on how to address its cost. The district increased its rate by 24 cents per thousand gallons in October. The increase was to pay for two projects to meet demand as the area grows.
“We are disappointed these four cities announced this action,” NTMWD Executive Director Tom Kula writes in a statement. “We recognize the concerns of the four cities, but the District must also consider the position of the other nine.”
Kula says all 13 cities should work together to reach an agreement on how to handle the district’s billing practice. He says wholesale water costs are increasing across the country and NTMWD has one of the lowest rates in Texas.
“We serve some of the fastest-growing communities in the nation,” Kula writes. “[We] remain focused on our mission of providing the highest quality water in the most cost effective manner.”
The cities are asking the Public Utility Commission to review rates. Plano’s city attorney says the first step in the review is for the cities to show that the increase is not in the public interest.
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