People who live in North Texas Municipal Water District cities may see higher water bills this year.
Beginning Monday, the district is increasing its wholesale water rate. The individual cities determine how to pass along the increase to residents.
The water district's increase stems mostly from its massive $300 million pipeline project for Lake Texoma. Because of the lake's zebra mussel infestation, the district has not been able to tap into the water, which accounts for 28 percent of the district's water supply.
Plano is implementing a 10 percent water rate increase beginning Nov. 1.
The decision was not popular among people lining up to pay utility bills at the Plano Municipal Center on Monday.
"Our paycheck stays the same, but everything else goes up," J.C. Pose said. "Of course, it's going to trickle down to us, the consumers."
Pose's most recent bill totaled more than $121.
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Pose said it's one more unexpected expense in the budget.
"It doesn't seem like much, but that twelve bucks over a twelve month period -- that's a lot of money," he said.
Fellow Plano resident Irish Suber said he owed more than $92 and was worried about the future rate increase.
"If it gets any more expensive, I don't know if I can pay it," he said.
The NTMWD serves the following member cities: Allen, Farmersville, Forney, Frisco, Garland, McKinney, Mesquite, Plano, Princeton, Richardson, Rockwall, Royse City and Wylie. Additionally, the NTMWD lists the following towns as customers: Bonham, Caddo Basin SUD, Cash SUD, College Mound WSC, Copeville SUD, Crandall (Kaufman Four-One), East Fork SUD, Fairview, Fate, Forney Lake WSC, Gastonia-Scurry SUD, Greater Texoma Utility Authority (GTUA), Josephine, Kaufman, Kaufman Four-One, Lavon W.S.C., Little Elm, Lucas, Melissa, Milligan WSC, Mount Zion WSC, Murphy, Nevada WSC, North Collin WSC, Parker, Prosper, Rose, Hill SUD, Rowlett, Sachse, Seis Lagos UD, Sunnyvale, Terrell and Wylie Northeast SUD.
