'I felt angry': Some homeowners' water bill will more than double by end of July

AUSTIN (KXAN) – Some residents in South Travis County reported receiving notices from their water provider indicating rates would more than double by the end of the month.

Alayna White said last week she went to get the mail and found a thick packet from Aqua Texas, her water provider. After thumbing through the packet, she read that her rate would increase by 100% on July 25.

“It was a lot of paperwork, and it was very confusing for the average customer. I did not understand it. I just saw the huge increase,” White said. “I felt angry because it was a month's notice, and it's not a reasonable amount to increase all at once."

White said her water bill right now is around $150 a month, and that if the rate increase goes into effect, it’ll rise to around $300 a month. 

“We can't afford this increase,” White said. 

KXAN has reached out to Aqua Texas and will update this story with its statement when we receive it. 

White is encouraging other customers to protest the rate increase so that it can get a public hearing before the Public Utility Commission, or PUC. 

Earlier this year, PUC denied Aqua Texas’ proposal to raise customers’ rates with a system improvement charge, money that would go towards improving water infrastructure. That rate increase would have impacted all Aqua Texas customers across the state. 

“This is another case where the applicant did not meet the burden of proof,” said PUC Chairman Thomas J. Gleeson at the commission's January 31 meeting.