Budget balances water supply, reliability and flood control, with affordability
EL PASO – El Paso Water staff presented the proposed Fiscal Year 2024-25 Water, Wastewater and Stormwater budgets to the Public Service Board on Nov. 29, emphasizing necessary investment in reliability, water supply and flood control. If approved, customers will see an increase of $3.54 per month on the typical residential bill for water, wastewater and stormwater charges, which totals a 4.7% increase over last year’s bill.
“Last year, we were projecting double digit increases to rates for this year,” said EPWater President and CEO John Balliew. “Despite the inflation of labor and materials costs, we tightened our budget and kept the rate increase low to minimize the impact on customers.”
EPWater’s funding priorities include:
- Reliability - $363 million: Water and wastewater plant improvements, pipes, pumping systems are needed to replace aging infrastructure and ensure our customers receive reliable water and wastewater services.
- Water supply - $52 million: To contribute to long-term water sustainability, construction will begin on our Advanced Water Purification Facility in Mission Valley, with construction continuing our Aquifer Storage and Recovery Project in northeast El Paso.
- Flood control - $71 million: New ponds and improvements to existing ponds and pipes will be built to protect public safety and private property.
EPWater always urges conservation as a means for customers to reduce the impact of rate and fee increases. Water-efficient customers may keep their bills down using the following:
- The Water Supply Replacement Charge will be waived for customers using less than 4 CCFs monthly. Last year, about 50,000 low-water users received the waiver of $14 a month.
- Businesses may apply for EPWater’s WaterWise Rebate Program to help with the cost of new water-saving equipment. Residential rebates will also be available in the new fiscal year.
The board will vote on the FY2024-25 budget, including rates and fees, at 8 a.m. Jan. 10. If approved, the budget, rates and fees will go into effect next fiscal year, beginning March 1.
Public comment is welcome on the proposed budget and rates at the Dec. 13 or Jan. 10 PSB meetings. Also, comments, with a 250-word limit, may be emailed to [email protected] through
Jan. 9.