Following the water bill fiasco from last fall, Austin Energy and Austin Water teamed up on a working group to uncover the puzzling reasons behind the unusual spikes. Although the group started off with one question, Commissioner Mickey Maia reported back to the Water and Wastewater Commission at its July 11 meeting that, “as we […]
Austin Water Utility
AWU is the municipal utility that provides water service for the City of Austin.
Posted inWater
Despite low water usage from Austinites, Austin Water continues to pay down debt
As it happens every year, Austin Water, the city-owned water and wastewater utility, is currently in the midst of planning its budget for the next fiscal year, which will also reflect an updated financial forecast until the year 2023. Although this financial forecast is just a preliminary budget according to David Anders, assistant director of […]
Posted inEnvironment
Talking climate change, national water experts in Austin look for answers
With temperatures creeping toward the triple digits and area rainfall totals falling below historical averages, Austin’s environmental and public planning communities recently got a look at the ways local governments across the country are planning to deal with water management in the face of stronger hurricanes, more extreme droughts and scarcer groundwater resources caused by […]
Posted inWater
Purple pipe to save water, Travis County tax dollars
Travis County Commissioner Brigid Shea gathered members of the media at the Heman Marion Sweatt Courthouse on Tuesday afternoon to tout a water conservation program that will save millions of gallons of drinking water per year. Those savings are courtesy of a new connection to a so-called purple pipe that will pump treated sewage water […]
Posted inWater
Austin Water still repairing shattered trust with water bill smoothing
After months of investigation, Austin Water and Austin Energy have an answer for the unusual spikes that Austinites saw in their water bills last September. Although Austin Water responded and changed its meter-reading contractor after the rash of misreads came to light, it is only now that the utility is discovering what precisely went awry. […]
Posted inResources
Troxclair wants to know how rates compare to other Texas utilities
This year, the average Austinite will spend $2,475 on utility bills to cover the cost of electricity, water and garbage pickup. City Council Member Ellen Troxclair wants to know how that compares to what other people served by other utilities in Texas pay. A resolution Troxclair plans to introduce today asks city staff to conduct […]
Posted inWater
Austin Water pitches rate reductions in 2018
It has been 15 years since the last time Austin Water reduced the rates for the utility. There is a chance, however, that this trend may end in January. On Dec. 13, the assistant director of Austin Water, David Anders, presented the Water and Wastewater Commission with the results of its Cost of Service study, […]
Posted inWater
Phantom water bill charges remain an unsolved mystery at Austin Water
For several years, water bills have been mysteriously spiking and leaving homeowners clutching their wallets and demanding answers. However, even when the public came en masse to plead that the Electric Utility Commission demand answers from city staff after the most recent surge, Austin Energy and Austin Water had none to give. On Dec. 11, […]
Posted inCity Hall
Council puts off ethics rules vote
City Council postponed a vote on the proposed new ethics ordinance Thursday, raising questions about whether a new request for proposal for handling city biosolids might become the subject of lobbying. That was certainly not Council’s intent, according to Council Member Leslie Pool. Pool, chief sponsor of the new ethics ordinance, asked her colleagues to […]
Posted inWater
Austin Water will not be raining down new rate increases in 2018
For the first time in 15 years, Austin Water Utility will not be increasing its rates. On Aug. 9, Austin Water presented its $614.8 million Fiscal Year 2017-18 budget proposal to the Water and Wastewater Commission for approval. Joseph Gonzales, the utility budget and finance manager at Austin Water, began on a high note when he […]
Posted inWater
Costly wastewater expansion gets OK
Only a few commissioners raised questions on various recommendations presented at the Water and Wastewater Commission’s regular meeting May 10. But when it came to the approval of interlocal agreements and costs related to the Brushy Creek Regional Wastewater System expansion, commissioners expressed significant concern with the project’s high price tag. The expenses they referenced […]
Posted inTexas State Legislature
Bills threaten Austin’s land use plans
Brie Franco, the city of Austin’s chief legislative strategist, gave City Council a brief update at Tuesday’s work session before rushing off to do some last minute lobbying. The city is facing a number of legislative attempts to curb its powers in the area of land use, Franco explained. That includes House Bill 2959 and […]