Get ready to ring in the new year by paying sharply higher water rates.
News Radio 1200 WOAI reports the San Antonio Water System is floating a proposal to hike rates nearly 6% to fund numerous improvements, including sewer system upgrades which are required by the US Enrionmental Protection Agency, as well as more efficient meter reading, and a water integration pipeline in the western part of the city.
"This rate adjustment includes an important allocation needed to fund water line replacements,” said Mayor Ron Nirenberg. “The additional revenue will enable SAWS to replace aging critical systems throughout the city, as well as support SAWS improvements being made in connection with street projects funded by the city’s 2017 bond program. The longer we delay this work, the more vulnerable our water system becomes and the more it will cost ratepayers in the long run."
But SAWS will also have to deal with blowback from a massive bonus and pay raise just granted to CEO Robert Puente. Ratepayer money went to give Puente a $99,000 bonus, which is more than twice the average annual salary of his ratepayers, and a five percent raise, which makes the CEO of SAWS higher paid than the President of the United States or the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
SAWS spokeswoman Lilliana Gonzalez says much of the money will be earmarked for EPA mandated improvements to the city's antiquated sewer system.
"Some of the things will definitely be the EPA consent decree requirements," she said. "One of the areas that will be attacked is Holbrook (off Rittiman north of Ft. Sam Houston, where storm sewers routinely overflow) because that is a capacity issue."
This is expected to be the first of several annual SAWS rate increases over the rest of the decade, to pay for badly needed infrastructure improvements, some from the acquisition of the former Bexar-Metropolitan Water District.
SAWS says several efforts are being made to get the word out about the rate increase.
The SAWS board will vote on the proposed rate increase next month, and then City Council will have to approve it.
The new rates will take effect in January, and will be visible on the February bills.
IMAGE; SAWS