HOUSTON — Your water bill will be going up. Houston City Council on Wednesday approved a water hike proposal from the mayor.
Note: the video in this story is from a June 22 broadcast, before the vote happened
Rates on water and wastewater will increase every year for the next five years.
Of course, this is something many people don't want to hear, but it's not all bad news.
The initial planned for the higher cost to go into effect in July, but an amendment changed that to September.
Mayor Sylvester Turner said the city is trying to cover increasing costs for service.
Nearly 60 percent of customers living in single-family homes could see their bills go up by $5 or less.
Between February freeze failures, bursting mains and blocked sewer lines, Houston’s water problems have generated plenty of headlines the last few years.
City officials said building a system with fewer problems means paying more money.
This is the first vote on a rate hike in 11 years.
The typical single-family home in Houston gets billed for 3,000 gallons a month.
Right now, their monthly water and wastewater charges are just over $27. Starting July 1, their bill goes up by $4 and some change.
By April 2026, the typical customer will pay more than $48 a month. That’s 78 percent higher than what they pay right now.
The higher rates should cover infrastructure upgrades to prevent big breaks and boost system resiliency to hurricanes and freezes, according to leaders. They would also pay for work to prevent sewer overflows under the city’s settlement with the EPA.
The mayor says even with the increases, Houston’s rates are still lower than other major cities around Texas and the U.S.
Houston’s wastewater system is also one of the nation’s largest.