Austin considers suspension of Aqua Texas rate hike

AUSTIN (KXAN) — Residents in Travis County may avoid more expensive water bills from Aqua Texas, now that the City of Austin is considering a 90-day suspension on a rate increase.

While most Austinites are covered by the city's own water utility company, nearly 400 residents rely on Aqua Texas for water and wastewater services. The company announced statewide base rate adjustments last month, which have caused some Austinites' bills to increase by 100%.

"The rate request filed on June 20, 2025, our first request for a statewide base rate change in 20 years, reflects recovery of the nearly $700 million in infrastructure investments made between 2004 and the end of 2024, and highlights Aqua’s commitment to improving reliability and service for its customers across the state of Texas," Aqua Texas wrote in a statement to KXAN. 

The company previously planned to implement the new rates on July 25—plans that have now been called into question by the city of Austin.

According to a statement from the city, Austin Water is currently "reviewing the rate filing," and is recommending that the city council adopt a 90-day suspension on the increase. This will allow for the city to comprehensively review the rate hikes before the city council can approve the measure.

Although Aqua Texas is an investor-owned utility, the Texas Water Code allows cities to review rates set by non-city utilities to ensure they are "just and reasonable."

Austin residents previously expressed concern about the rate hike, with customers across the state filing protests