Arlington residents are advised to adjust their household budgets as the city rolls out new rates for water, wastewater, stormwater, and garbage collection services for the fiscal year 2025. Arlington Water Utilities has begun to notify its customers of these changes, which are detailed in an insert included in October bills, or sent via email for those who've opted for paperless billing. These changes became effective as of October 1, according to the City of Arlington.
The new rate structure will directly impact customers' pockets for a full 12-month cycle, starting October 1, and stretching to the end of September the following year. For the average residential customer, using about 8,000 gallons of water and flushing out 4,000 gallons of wastewater monthly, this means an increase of $3.65, or 5.18%. Commercial customers, with a significantly higher usage at 50,000 gallons for both water and wastewater, will see their bills increase by 8.57% or $59.58 monthly.
The rate adjustment aligns with a 7.79% increase in the Arlington Water Utilities budget for FY 2025, escalating to a total of $207,801,339. This uptick in budget allowance is a move to effectively manage the uptick in expenses for raw water purchases, wastewater treatment, and the necessary chemicals crucial for providing these utilities. These expenditures include a $2 million increase for raw water from Tarrant Regional Water District, $4.4 million more for wastewater treatment by Trinity River Authority, a $2 million rise for debt service payments, and an additional $1.6 million earmarked for water treatment chemicals.
Meanwhile, trash and recycling collection services alongside the stormwater fees will not escape the wave of rate hikes. Residential customers are looking at a 5% increase, which translates to an additional $1 per month for their garbage collection, and an extra 50 cents monthly for dealing with stormwater.
