Beginning February 1, customers will see an adjustment on the back of their water bill related to two line items: the “Surface Water Conversion (SWC) Fee” and a new “Infrastructure Renewal Fee”. While you’ll notice both listed, they offset one another — meaning there is no increase to your overall bill as a result of this change.
1. Surface Water Conversion (SWC) Fee Reduced by $0.11 per 1,000 gallons
The Surface Water Conversion (SWC) Fee is a charge that goes directly to the San Jacinto River Authority (SJRA) to cover the cost of providing treated surface water from Lake Conroe. The Woodlands currently utilizes a blend of 50% Surface Water and 50% Ground Water.
Switching from groundwater to surface water:
- Conserves local aquifers
- Helps prevent land subsidence
- Protects long-term water reliability
The full amount of the SWC fee is passed through to SJRA without markup.
Effective February 1, the SJRA GRP reduced the SWC fee by $0.11 per 1,000 gallons, lowering the rate from $2.92 to $2.81 per 1,000 gallons. This reduction will appear on bills issued March 1.
For a typical household using 10,000 gallons per month, the SWC fee will now drop to an average of $28.10 per month.
2. New Infrastructure Renewal Fee – $0.11 per 1,000 Gallons
At the same time, a new Infrastructure Renewal Fee of $0.11 per 1,000 gallons will appear on your bill.
This fee will help fund rehabilitation and replacement of aging water infrastructure, including:
- Waterline renewal projects
- Engineering for upcoming renewal phases
Our water, wastewater and drainage systems include some infrastructure that is nearing the end of its useful life. Proactively renewing these assets helps prevent costly emergency repairs and ensures reliable service.
3. No Net Impact to Your Bill
The $0.11 reduction in the SWC Fee is fully offset by the $0.11 Infrastructure Renewal Fee.
Bottom line: Your total bill will not increase as a result of this change.
Both line items are shown separately for transparency — so customers can clearly see:
- The reduction passed through from SJRA
- The corresponding local investment in infrastructure renewal
If you have questions about your bill, we’re always happy to help.
