Beginning April 1, 2025, the District will start its new fiscal year and budget. Approved with this budget was a 5% increase to Rates and Minimums. This means the average customer using 3,000 gallons of water and sewer will see a monthly increase of $4.14/month or an annual increase of $49.68/year. This increase is to keep up with increasing cost of chemicals to treat water and sewer, fuel, electricity, employee cost, insurance, equipment, materials/inventory, and cost of water pulled from the lake. The raw water the District pulls from Cedar Creek Lake for drinking water had an increase of 3% with cost going from $1.36/1,000 gallons to $1.40/1,000 gallons. We are projected to pull 603,000,000 gallons of water this fiscal year. The District will see a 5% increase to materials such as lift station pumps, grinder tank pumps, and panel boxes to operate these pumps. Chemicals have increased by 3% to 5% for both water and wastewater treatment.
The Districts new budget was deliberated over multiple times by several board committees and finally the full board. The Districts budgets are typically approved in February due to the District having to post information to our customers and the PUC (Public Utility Commission) before new rates start. The District increases rates and minimums annually if needed so there’s not a large increase every couple of years. Revenue is determined based off last fiscal year’s averages and such as water pumped, water sold, and installs completed. Expenses are also determined based on last fiscal year’s numbers and 5-year averages such as raw water pumped, materials ordered, employee salaries, equipment upkeep and maintenance, and installations completed. The District also budgets for projects such as filter rehab at our McKay WTP, rehabbing builds at several locations, South WWTP permit renewal, and purchasing new vehicles to replace others due to wear and tear. Throughout the year, staff have done and continue to do a fantastic job of reducing expenses, which helps our customers reduce costs. Also, as part of this budget, the District budgeted to have funds placed into an account to prepare for the next bond. For many years now, the District has not had to increase rates or minimums due to a bond. Bonds are barrowed money that are used to fund large projects needing to be done with in the district such as the new ground storage tanks being installed at our Brookshire WTP, upgrading of Lift Stations 57 & 59, and the Master Plan which outlines future projects based on growth, new technology, and/or aging infrastructure.
The District has taken out two (2) bonds to have Automated Meter Reading (AMRs) installed in multiple subdivisions. The first bond in 2018 replaced 1,500 meters in the Harbor Point and Tamarack subdivisions, and another bond in 2022 replaced all southside residential meters totaling 2,500. As the District moves forward, we are installing AMR meters with every new install and plan to budget for more subdivisions in the future. These meters are extremely accurate down to a quarter gallon flow. Since these meters are very accurate, and older meters tend to slow down as they age, customers may see an increase in their bills. If you feel a meter reading is inaccurate, please contact the office for a reread. The District can also pull daily flows off these meters and show customers when their usage has changed or increased.
East Cedar Creek FWSD uses its website and Facebook page to try and notify customers of current events. Customers can also receive notifications through phone callouts, emails, or texts for things such as water outages, being on the disconnect list, or other events if their information is current and correct at the office. If you have any questions, or if you need to update your contact information with the office to receive these notices, please see our contact information at the end of this newsletter.
Customers may signup or “Opt In” to receive text messages. To sign up, customers must complete a request in the office giving staff permission to text messages. Customers are able to receive water outage alerts, if the customer is on the disconnect list, and other important information.
If you are an East Cedar Creek FWSD sewer customer, please contact our office first if you are experiencing a sewer issue. Staff will respond to your call day or night to help troubleshoot the issue. If the issue is determined to be on the customers side, staff will inform you of the situation and you can decide what to do from there. If the issue is on our side, staff will attempt to repair at the time they are there, depending on the repair needed, or may reschedule to normal business hours when more staff are available to help. We would like to help reduce costs for our customers who call a plumber first and the issue ends up being on the ECCFWSD side.
If you have issues with water moving or standing in a location, please contact us first. Staff will respond night or day to determine if there is a water leak in an area and if it is on the customer side or not. If a water leak is on our side, staff will make the necessary repairs. Depending on location and what is leaking, staff may need to excavate the area by hand digging or use an excavator, make the repair, and dress up the area. From time to time, staff may need to dress the area up several times before the area is returned to as close to the original condition or better. If the leak is on the customer’s side staff can help locate the leak but cannot help with repairs. Customers are required to have their own water cut off outside of the meter box on their lines. We recommend their cutoff be 3ft to 5ft from the meter so they can turn off the water to their lines. If a customer is found turning their water off/on in the District’s meter box, or if the angle stop is damaged due to customer usage, or a water leak occurs, customers will be charged for damages and lost water. If you need the water turned off in the Districts meter box, please contact the office and we would be happy to help. However, the District will require you to install and/or locate your customer cut off before the water is turned back on.
East Cedar Creek FWSD Contact Information
Normal Hours: M-F, 8am to 4pm, Office # 903-887-7103, email – CSR1@eastcedarcreek.net
After Hours: # 903-887-7103 (Follow prompts for emergency on-call staff)