Garland mayor says new water deal marks ‘important new era’ for city

PLANO, TX – Garland officials on Thursday said a new agreement between the North Texas Municipal Water District and its 13 member cities marked an “important new era” for the city, one that may — eventually — lead to lower water rates for residents.

All 13 member cities — including Garland, Plano, Richardson and Mesquite, among others — had to sign off on the agreement, which concludes a long-running dispute over a rate structure that some cities considered to be unfairly weighted. The agreement includes infrastructure upgrades and the stipulation that each city will pay only for the water it uses.

“While rates won’t immediately drop as we begin paying under the new methodology, we will see cost savings going forward,” he said in a press release. “In the long run, each of us will save money while also ensuring that we have a robust water system for the future.”

The city estimates that it has paid about 20% more for water each year than is actually used, the release added.

The agreement will see new rates for member cities that are “based on a five-year moving average of actual consumption, which is consistent with industry standards across the nation,” the release said.

The city estimates it will save $9 million in wholesale water costs over a 13-year phase-in of the new methodology for payment and usage.