Richardson water and wastewater bills likely to rise this fall

Richardson households are on track for higher water and wastewater bills this fall, with city leaders weighing a five-year rate change that would push more of the system’s fixed cost into the monthly base charge. Under the proposal, the average residential user could see bills rise about 8% a year, from $121.35 now to $152.91 in fiscal year 2028-29.

The City Council reviewed the issue June 8 after consultant Dan Jackson of Willdan Financial Services laid out several ways to raise rates. One option would keep increases uniform; another would use meter equivalency, which shifts more costs onto larger commercial and manufacturing meters; a third would combine that approach with a senior discount. Council member Arefin Shamsul said the larger-meter model change was, “way overdue.”

The debate matters because Richardson already relies on a cost-of-service structure that separates minimum charges from volume charges. The city’s posted water and irrigation schedule shows an $8 monthly minimum, with usage rates ranging from $7.77 per 1,000 gallons for the lowest tier to $10.66 for 60,001 gallons and above. Sewer service also carries an $8 minimum, with charges of $5.53 per 1,000 gallons up to 11,000 gallons and $10.96 above that. The city also offers discounts for homeowner associations, residents 65 and over, and community gardens.

City budget documents frame the rate question as part of a larger effort to keep the utility system solvent without putting off repairs. Richardson’s guidance says fee and rate changes should preserve a minimum 90-day fund balance and account for North Texas Municipal Water District expenses. The district’s FY26 wholesale water rate took effect Oct. 1, 2025 and runs through Sept. 30, 2026, with the district saying the charge remains roughly one-third of a penny per gallon of treated water delivered.

The city’s FY 2025-2026 budget totaled $418,498,270 and projected a typical Richardson resident’s annual cost rising from $4,185 to $4,422, partly because of higher utility rates. Richardson also reviewed FY 2026-2027 water and wastewater maintenance strategies at a June 1 work session, signaling that the rate debate is tied not just to inflation, but to long-term upkeep, replacement costs and the question of how much residents should pay now to avoid bigger problems later.