El Paso Water seeks rate increase
El Paso Water is seeking approval from the Public Service Board to move forward with a $463.6 million budget, which would include a 7 percent rate increase.
In the first budget workshop, El Paso Water staff proposed a 2017-18 water, waste water and reclaimed water budget to the PSB.
“The two reasons the fees are going up is to get the additional source of supply and the other part is the facilities – pipes and pump stations to supply our customers,” El Paso Water President John Balliew said. The average home would see $3.64 added to its monthly bill and commercial customers would see a $17.15 increase. “The people in El Paso can no longer afford these high dollar programs that they are proposing without considering that we have been hit with increases in the light bill, electric bill, gas bill and now they are throwing this high-dollar bill at us,” one frustrated customer said. Even with the proposed rate increase, average water and wastewater bills will remain among the lowest in the region and other arid communities. The rate structure rewards customers who conserve water. Currently in an average month, about 11 percent of customer bills receive a waiver of the water supply replacement charge because they use less than 3 CCFs (2,244 gallons) per month. The utility is proposing to raise that threshold to less than 4 CCFs (2,992 gallons) per month, which could result in 17 percent of customer bills receiving a waiver. The move could enable conservative water users to reduce their monthly bill by about $10 per month, or $120 per year.
El Paso Water said the fee increase would allow the utility to expand flood control projects, maintain the existing stormwater system, and continue to set ten percent of funds aside for dual-purpose ponds and open space projects.
“We have prioritized projects that reduce flood risk in high-traffic areas and that have the potential to save lived and protect private property,” Balliew said.
“The completion of Magnolia pump station and Gateway Ponds in central El Paso have significantly reduced flooding in central and near I-10. While that work continues, we need to now focus more on other areas to protect all El Pasoans,”
The initial stormwater master plan identified more than $650 million in capital projects needed to improve flood control, and additional project needs are identified every year. About 18 percent of the initial scope of work has been completed.
El Paso Water said the top priority was given to flood control projects that would have the biggest impact in reducing risk to public safety and private property. The utility said the completed projects in central El Paso have resulted in 38 million gallons of capacity created for flood control, which translates into water diverted from streets and highways.
The next time for residents to chime in on the increase will be Jan. 11, when the utility company plans on adopting the bill.
