Boerne residents may soon be paying a bit more to keep the gas flowing, as city officials weigh a proposal to raise city-owned natural gas rates to fund roughly $9.3 million in upgrades to pipelines, meters and other infrastructure over the next five years. The draft plan would divide customers into small, medium and large tiers and, if adopted, would tack modest increases onto many residential and commercial bills. City leaders have slotted budget and rate talks for this summer as they try to balance fixing aging equipment with keeping household costs in check.
The council presentation outlines a three-tier rate structure - small, medium and large - that would place about 2,600 small residential customers, 1,200 medium residential customers and 11 large residential meters into new categories. Under the proposal, the average small residential bill would rise about $9 per month (from $53 to $62); medium residential bills would increase by roughly $17 (from $47 to $64); and large residential meters would jump by about $18 (from $52 to $70). Commercial accounts would also be split into three tiers, with the largest users seeing monthly averages go from about $832 to $916. Officials also pointed out that Boerne's last gas rate increase came in 2016, as reported by the San Antonio Express-News.
“Our system has really, really grown,” City Finance Director Sarah Buckelew told council, arguing that expanding demand and aging pipes have opened up a funding gap. District 5 Council Member Joseph Macaluso added, “I think it’s obvious there’s going to have to be a rate increase,” while a city spokesperson noted that medium- and large-meter accounts would face extra increases because of greater system capacity needs. Those remarks and the presentation details were recorded and summarized by the San Antonio Express-News.
How the proposal moves through City Hall
City staff have placed budget and utility items on the summer calendar as part of the FY 2026-27 budget process, and the official budget schedule lists a regular City Council meeting on June 9 where budget and rate issues are slated for discussion. If the council decides to advance a rate ordinance, any change would follow the city’s standard adoption process that tracks with the budget calendar. Per the City of Boerne, the June meeting is part of this summer’s broader review cycle.
Why officials say repairs are needed
Boerne’s rapid growth over the last decade has put more pressure on pipes and meters that city staff say need replacement or upgrades. Population estimates from the U.S. Census show the city increasing from about 10,471 residents in 2010 to an estimated 22,712 by July 1, 2024, a jump that staff argue has stretched the system and driven up maintenance needs. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, that growth helps explain the push for new capital spending.
How this fits a larger trend
Across Texas and around the country, utilities have been seeking higher revenue to pay for multimillion-dollar replacement programs for aging water and gas lines, and national reporting has tied rising bills to deferred maintenance and resilience projects. Coverage has noted that utilities are increasingly asking customers to shoulder the cost of infrastructure upgrades that were postponed when budgets were tight or demand was booming. See reporting from the Washington Post for broader context on utilities and rate pressure.
How to follow and weigh in
Residents who want to review materials or ask questions can find Boerne Utilities information and customer contacts on the city’s utilities pages and should keep an eye on the City Council agenda for posted packets ahead of the June meeting. The city’s gas information page also includes safety guidance and billing contacts for Boerne Utilities. Per the City of Boerne, the utility posts notices and project updates online for customers who want to stay in the loop.
