Residents of Plano will see hikes in utility rates and service costs beginning October 1.
The imminent rate increases were discussed during a recent budget workshop in Plano. Public hearings are being held on the matter, including during the upcoming city council meeting on September 11.
The higher rates come as a result of the North Texas Municipal Water District (NTMWD), which serves approximately 2 million people across North Texas, including in Plano, upping its prices for water and sewer services. The NTMWD announced this summer that it would raise member cities’ wholesale rates for treated water and wastewater by 11% and 7%, respectively.
As The Dallas Express previously reported, the City of Richardson already announced its resultant rate increases, and the City of Frisco raised its rates in response to NTMWD’s higher prices at the start of this year.
Ultimately, NTMWD’s treated water rates rose only 9% to $3.69 per thousand gallons, whereas wastewater jumped up by approximately 10%.
To offset the increase in cost, Plano plans to charge 6% more for water and 3% more for sewer services.
Karen Rhodes-Whitley, Plano’s director of budget and research, said this would boil down to an increase of $4.48 a month for the average Plano resident consuming 10,000 gallons of treated water and producing 5,000 gallons of wastewater, according to Community Impact.
Solid waste services in Plano will also cost more due to the trickle-down effects of inflation, which have led to higher personnel and equipment costs. Rising gas prices — a multifaceted issue related to severe weather and refinery outages — have also contributed to increased expenditures.
The rate hike for residents will depend on the sizes of residents’ trash and recycling receptacles, Amanda Owens, the assistant director of public works, told Community Impact.
Residents with a 68-gallon receptacle can expect to pay 20% more — $16.89 a month. Those with 95-gallon receptacles can expect to pay $4 more a month — approximately $23.60.
Ultimately, the city’s population growth — 1.67% per year since 2020 — has played no small part in these rising costs, especially when it comes to water.
“I think it’s very important that we recognize that water costs are going up; the growth of the region is demanding additional water resources; so the trajectory of water rates is going to continue to increase,” explained Plano City Manager Mark Israelson, according to Community Impact. “It truly [is] our most precious resource for the growth of the area.”
This population growth has also spurred the city to revamp its master plan for parks and recreation spaces, as previously reported in The Dallas Express.