Plano City Council to hear water rate hike proposal

Plano officials are planning to increase water rates for local residents after not doing so since 2013.

The Plano City Council will hear a presentation about the rate hike at a meeting later this month Monday, June 28. Though officials have not finalized the rate hike and will recommend the final figure, one alderman said a 5 to 7% increase could be expected on residents’ bi-weekly bills.

“We’ve gone many years here without a rate increase,” said Alderman Ben Eaton, adding that neighboring communities often raise rates every year.

Officials said the increase is necessary to prevent funding problems for future infrastructure improvements. Such improvements include painting water towers, updating sewers and off-setting costs for a water filter system in the Lakewood Springs subdivision.

Two previous water rate studies came and went without a rate hike, officials noted.

Eaton hopes that a $5 to $7 decrease in monthly garbage bills will help offset the increase, emphasizing that Plano residents will still pay less than nearby cities and villages.

“We really looked into this and looked into every way possible where we can try and minimize the impact of this,” Eaton remarked.