Residents of El Paso will soon see their water bills rise. The Public Service Board, entrusted with the oversight of El Paso Water's operations, has given the nod to a budget that will hike the water, wastewater, and stormwater service charges by 7% beginning this March. This decision was ratified in a recent board meeting with five out of the seven-member board voting in favor of the increase. One seat remains vacant, and Mayor Renard Johnson cast neither for nor against, opting instead for abstention.
According to KVIA, El Paso Water's upcoming fiscal year budget touches close to $1.06 billion, a significant uptick from the previous year's figure. This includes nearly $956 million allocated for water delivery and sewage treatment, an increase from last year's sum of $889 million. Additionally, the stormwater unit, tasked with managing critical flood control, sees its budget rise to $101 million, up $2 million from the last year.
The implications of these adjustments are more than numbers on a page. They manifest tangibly each month when residents pay for life's essentials. Mayor Renard Johnson, fresh on the Public Service Board, cited a need for distance from the issue of the taxpayers as his reason for abstaining. "I’m new to the Public Service Board, and I think for the taxpayers, I should stay out of this one," Johnson said, as per El Paso Matters.
Not all is lost for the cost-conscious customer, however, as there is a silver lining to be found in the form of a raised waiver for the Water Supply Replacement Charge. Now, with an estimated 69,000 customers who consume 4 CCFs or less, the threshold raised from 3 CCFs can save $15.62 monthly, as reported by KFOX-TV. Furthermore, El Paso Water offers a range of residential rebate programs, along with the WaterWise Rebate Program for businesses, potentially easing the financial burden of this hike for conscientious users.
.jpg){kind=link}