Residents of El Paso may soon find themselves grappling with higher water bills as El Paso Water, governed by the Public Service Board (PSB), contemplates a 7 percent rate hike. According to KTSM, if the board approves the proposed budgets, the standard residential customer is looking at an increase of $5.71 per month for water, wastewater, and stormwater charges. Detailed in the proposed Fiscal Year 2025-26 budgets, the potential rise in rates was addressed in a PSB meeting this past Tuesday evening.
Nevertheless, the sting of the potential rate increases can be mitigated through a series of incentive measures aimed at conservation. El Paso Water offers significant discounts for customers who keep their usage low. Reportedly, those using as little as 1 CCF (centum cubic feet) can avail themselves of a 30% discount on minimum charges, and the threshold to be exempt from the Water Supply Replacement Charge has now gone up from 3 CCFs to 4 CCFs. In terms of savings, this policy shift could mean an additional 19,000 eligible low-water users might bank $15.62 monthly, as described by KFOX-TV.
The impetus behind these rising costs is more than just numerical. It echoes the fears and concerns of people like Abi Oyedeji, a resident, who expressed concerns about the affordability of their hometown. "It’s getting to the point where you’re kinda looking at the next five years of, can I afford to live here? And you don’t want El Paso to be like New York or Boston," Oyedeji told KFOX-TV. It's a sentiment that captures the underlying anxiety that often accompanies discussions of economic change, especially when such changes touch on our basic needs, like that of water.
Customers have avenues to voice their concerns or support for the proposed budget and rates. Public input can be tendered during the PSB meetings scheduled for December 11 and January 8. It is on this latter date, January 8, when the board is set to vote on the proposed budget. Underlying these discussions is the promise that participation and conservation can indeed lead to palpable reductions in how aggressively these rate increases are felt by the community. As KVIA reports, the 30% discount for the lowest tier of water users and waiving the Water Supply Replacement Charge for customers using up to 4 CCFs stand as testaments of El Paso Water's efforts to reward conservation while handling the economic realities of maintaining a modern water infrastructure.
