Summary: Nope, you didn't flush more in September. One reason your October 2023 City Utility Bill was higher this month is the increase in the "Residential Sewer Fee" (aka wastewater fee.) The city has postulated three reasons for the needed fee increase.
Latest Update: Tuesday, 24 October, 2023
Select #Tags for additional articles: #WastewaterTreatmentPlant
Nope, you didn't flush more in September. Increase in Willow Park Wastewater Sewer Rates.
One reason your October 2023 City Utility Bill was higher this month is an increase in the "Residential Sewer Fee" (aka wastewater fee.)
There are two parts of the Residential Sewer Fee; the first is a fixed fee per residence, and the second is a "volumetric charge per 1,000 gallons" based on the residential usage. [See Notice of wastewater rate increase, Willow Park Website, 20 September 2023 below.]
The city has postulated three reasons for the needed increase in the Residential Sewer Fee.
• New residences are not being built as quickly as predicted in budget estimates, so there are fewer sewer lines being built and brought online, and subsequent fewer "Residential Sewer" fees. [See 12 May 2023 Council Meeting below.]
• City has taken much longer than planned to commit to a location for the new Wastewater Treatment Plant and building costs have increased now the city is ready to build. In fact, during the 18 July 2023 Council meeting [see below], the City had to cancel a bid for the new Wastewater Treatment Plant and re-bid.
• "The City of Willow Park has not increased wastewater rates since 2017" [See "Notice of wastewater rate increase," Willow Park Website below.]
Willow Park Civics Editorial
• Willow Park Civics website > City > City Services > Wastewater for a journal of the City's recent wastewater activities.
• Notice of wastewater rate increase, Willow Park Website, 20 September 2023
Beginning with the October billing cycle, some utility rates will change on your monthly bill. The City of Willow Park has not increased wastewater rates since 2017, and customers will see an increase in their wastewater charges beginning on their October statements.
The monthly base rate for Wastewater will increase to $24.80 for single-family residential and $31.74 for commercial accounts.
The volumetric charge per 1,000 gallons will increase to $6.39 for single-family residential and $8.18 for commercial accounts.
Multi-family housing residents could see an increase in their bill, depending on their property management, as rates have increased for multi-family properties.
METER TAMPERING: the penalties for meter tampering have changed.
1st offense - $500 fee plus the cost of replacement equipment
2nd offense - $750 fee plus the cost of replacement equipment
3rd offense - $1000 fee plus the cost of replacement equipment. The City will also terminate your service upon a third meter tampering offense.
• Council approves new wastewater rates, Noise ordinance revamped, juvenile curfew lifted, The Community News, 15 September 2023,
Following a recommendation from last month, the Willow Park City Council approved a new wastewater rate increase proposed by NewGen. The rate will immediately increase from $20 to $24.80 for residential and from $20 to $31.74 for commercial monthly service. This is the city's first rate increase since 2017.
At the Aug. 22 meeting, NewGen Chief Financial Officer Chris Ekrut gave a presentation to the council. He said that due to rising costs and construction of a much-needed wastewater plant, a three-year model - which was the one approved Tuesday - is needed to make the water and wastewater funds financially healthy. Assistant City Manager Bill Funderburk noted at that meeting that the city has been transferring money from the water account to the wastewater account to offset a deficit.
"This is what we need to do to make it whole," Funderburk told the council at Tuesday's meeting.
12 September 2023 Council Meeting
9. Discussion/Action: to adopt an ordinance of the City Council of the City of Willow Park, Texas, adopting a Comprehensive Fee and Rate Schedule for the following Enterprise Fund Utility Rates/Services/Charges for Fiscal Year 2023/24, including Water Impact Fees, Water Tap Fees, Wastewater Impact Fees, Wastewater Tap Fees, Drainage Impact Fees, Utility Deposits/Fees, Water Base Rates, Water Volumetric Charges, Wastewater Rates, Solid Waste Rates, Additional Utility Services Charges, and Water Meter Costs; amending various city ordinances; and containing a severability clause and an effective date.
22 August 2023 Council Meeting
Agenda Item 2. (&3) The City Council may conduct a public hearing on the City of Willow Park Fiscal Year 2023-2024 Proposed Budget
Wastewater Fund: This fund is the most vulnerable of all funds in the Budget. With approximately half of the water accounts, and the imposition of a new wastewater treatment plant debt, this fund will struggle until additional accounts can be realized. While we did see some modest gains in terms of wastewater revenues in the 4Q of the previous fiscal year, and was discussed at Budget Workshops, staff feels that a transfer from the Water Fund is necessary to sustain the Wastewater Budget. Furthermore, Council will be presented with adjusting sewer rates to enhance wastewater revenues.
8. Discussion/Action: to accept the water and wastewater study from NewGen Strategies and Solutions.Background: Several months ago, we asked NewGen Strategies to prepare a water and wastewater rate Study. Willow Park had not increased either rate since 2017 as was recommended by NewGen in that year. We have been transferring money from the water account to the wastewater fund to offset deficit. Several factors are used to determine the rates needed to have a positive balance in both funds, these factors include number of customers, debt service, construction improvement projects. Due to rising costs in the water and wastewater systems and construction of a must needed wastewater plant we asked for a three-year model to make both funds financially healthy.Exhibits: Presentation (in .pdf)
9. Discussion/Action: the City Council may consider authorizing staff to amend the bid specifications for the new wastewater plant to reduce the plant from a 1 million gallon capacity plant to a 750K gallon capacity plant and authorize City staff to re-advertise to seek competitive proposals. #WastewaterTreatmentPlant • Background: Construction plans are being designed for 750K gallon wasterwater treatment plant.
18 July 2023 Special Council Meeting
6. Discussion/Action: the City Council shall consider authorizing the City Administrator to issue notice to the Willow Park Baptist Church to extend the term of the lease for its existing wastewater treatment plant for an additional one year term, such additional year to begin on August 19, 2024 and end on August 18, 2025.
3. Discussion/Action: the City Council may approve a resolution awarding a bid to construct a wastewater treatment plant. #WastewaterTreatmentPlan
4. Discussion/Action: the City Council may approve a resolution rejecting all bids for the construction of a wastewater treatment plant.
5. Discussion/Action: the City Council may approve a resolution rejecting all bids for the construction of a wastewater treatment plant...
Executive Session * Possible bid bond claim against MH Civil Constructors, Inc. for the wastewater treatment plant #WastewaterTreatmentPlant *[After Executive Session, council voted unanimously to begin a bid bond claim against MH Civil Contractors.
09 May 2023 Council Meeting, Agenda Item 7. to approve the 2nd Quarterly Financial Report.
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