(EL PASO) Residents could soon see a $10 increase in their monthly utility bill if the Water Utilities Board gets its way.
The El Paso Water Utility is proposing that the price increase take effect early next year.
Residents are already sounding off on social media platforms, specifically on Nextdoor.
“Ever since the water company installed the new water meters, it looks like my water bill has almost doubled,” Jesus Gonzalez said before asking a question.
“Has anyone else noticed their water bill going up after the new meter installation?” Gonzalez asked. “Just trying to see if it’s happening to others too.”
OpGov.ai posted a survey for local reaction on the proposed increase. The results below speak for themselves.
OpGov.ai Nextdoor survey on water utility bill increase
El Paso Water Services released a report on Nov. 20, highlighting next year’s budget.
The budget offers affordability options. The release was prefaced with a message from the president and CEO.
El Paso Water press release Nov. 20
“If approved, stormwater fees would not increase and the typical residential bill would increase by $9.99 per month, a 12% increase over last year’s bill, John Balliew said. “We understand that every dollar matters to our customers, and we’re working hard to keep water affordable while continuing to invest in the systems that keep El Paso running.”
According to Gilbert Trejo, vice president of operations and technical services for El Paso Water, the primary funding priorities include flood control, water-supply expansion, and water and wastewater line replacements.
“The majority of our proposed projects, and the reason for the rate increase this year, is to make sure we maintain our levels of service and the quality of our water services,” Trejo said.
The public is highly encouraged to attend the upcoming scheduled meetings on December 10, and the final meeting is on January 14.
You can count on OpGov.ai to stay on this story as more information is made available.
In the meantime, you can email me your thoughts on this and other story ideas to nathanc.lead4earth.org
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