By Vanessa Holt
Groundwater and surface water rates for Groundwater Reduction Plan customers will see no increase in the 2023-24 fiscal year, according to the San Jacinto River Authority.
At an Aug. 24 meeting, the SJRA’s board of directors approved the 2023-24 operating budget and rates for GRP customers.
The wholesale water rates apply to retail water providers, which include cities, municipal utility districts and independent utilities that take part in the GRP program, according to the SJRA.
The cost
Groundwater rates will remain $2.99 per 1,000 gallons, and surface water will remain at $3.41 per 1,000 gallons, according to the SJRA. Surface water originates from Lake Conroe. The authority’s fiscal year runs from Sept. 1, 2023, to Aug. 31, 2024.
What else?
The board also approved the budgets and rates for The Woodlands Division, which provides 10 MUDs in The Woodlands with wholesale water and wastewater treatment services, according to a news release. The wholesale water rate for The Woodlands Division is $2.78 per 1,000 gallons and the wholesale wastewater rate is $5.65 per 1,000 gallons, representing a 2% increase due to rising costs of chemicals and electricity, according to the news release. The Woodlands receives a blend of groundwater and surface water, according to the SJRA website.
Editor’s note: The headline was updated to reflect that the water rates are wholesale, not retail rates.