The proposed 2027 rate structure would lower or stabilize bills for roughly three out of four residential customers, with the largest reductions going to households that use the least water.
For a long time, Pflugerville residents have been saying that the water rate structure is unfair. I've always agreed. From the campaign trail, I said Pflugerville's water rates had a design problem. High fixed charges meant households using the least water could pay the highest effective price per gallon. Apartment residents also faced a system that did not always assign costs fairly.
The proposed 2027 rates are a strong step toward fixing both problems.
Under the proposal presented to Council, roughly three out of four residential customers would see their combined water and wastewater bills decrease or remain stable next year. The largest reductions would go to the lowest-use households—the seniors, single adults, small families, and conservation-minded residents who have been carrying a disproportionate share of the system's fixed costs.
The proposal would:
The proposed changes are about making the bill better reflect both the cost of providing service and how much water a customer uses.
Some high-use residential customers would pay more—those who use more than 10,000 gallons per month. Commercial and large multifamily accounts would also see increases under the current proposal based on meter size. But a rate structure that rewards conservation and gives relief to most households is fairer than one that places so much of the burden on fixed fees.
This spring, Councilmember Ryan and I asked the City Manager, Finance Department, and Utilities Department to make equity, fairness, and affordability explicit goals of the rate study. When the first proposal came back, we asked staff and the consultants to improve it. The revised structure presented in August is stronger because of that work.
The rates are still proposed. Council is expected to make the final decision in September, and I will review the final numbers before that vote. Based on the work so far, I believe we are close to a structure that provides meaningful relief without ignoring the utility's long-term obligations.
Residents have been telling us for years that the current system does not feel fair. The proposed rates show what can happen when we move beyond describing the problem, put the numbers on the table, and insist that affordability be part of the solution.
Related: read why Pflugerville's water rates have a design problem, review the August 11 rate-study agenda item, see my priority on lower water bills, or send me a question about your utility bill.
Councilmember Ryan and I asked the City Manager, Finance Department, and Utilities Department to make equity and affordability part of the rate study—not an afterthought. We pushed for revisions that reduce the burden on lower-use households, add conservation tiers, and close a wastewater-rate gap that has allowed some large multifamily properties to avoid paying their fair share.
Reach out directly or keep reading the council updates for the bigger picture.