Fort Worth

Fort Worth residents to see increased water, stormwater and trash fees in 2024

Increased fees and rates are going into effect on Monday, Jan. 1

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If you live in Fort Worth, prepare to pay more on your garbage and water bills starting this Monday.

Several fees and rate hikes approved by the city council in September will go into effect on Jan. 1, 2024.

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TRASH FEE

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According to the city of Fort Worth, residents will now pay an increased fee for overloaded trash or loose bags on the road:

$6.00 per cart for overloaded carts and $3.00 per bag for loose bags.

Waste Management, the contractor for trash pick up in Fort Worth, usually collects the trash and charges the city for it every time. The increased cost being passed down to residents is meant to help cover that cost.

Under the rule, residents are still required to put their garbage and recycling materials into their respective collection bins by 7 a.m. on their assigned collection day. Residents are responsible for ensuring all items fit into the bins and that lids are properly and securely closed.

Any garbage or recycling materials that do not allow for the lids to be properly and securely closed are considered “overloaded/overfilled” while any additional bags set outside of or next to the carts are considered “loose bags”.

The city plans to deploy cameras and other technology to find out which houses to charge the extra fees to.

WATER AND STORMWATER FEES

On Jan. 1, 2024, water and wastewater services for Fort Worth residents are also changing for the first time in four years.

The City Council approved the rate changes in September.

Click here to see the report detailing the new rates for residential and commercial customers.

Fort Worth residents can expect to pay about an extra $2.18 on monthly water bills.

The money is meant to go toward replacing old pipes and improving the water infrastructure to deal as the city continues to grow in population, amid several instances of water main breaks in recent years.

The stormwater fee is also being raised, adding an extra $6.61 per month to the average home water bill in Fort Worth, which is a 15% increase from the previous rate. That money will go toward improvements to prevent and mitigate flooding issues in the city.

According to a facts page posted on the city’s website about the increase, about 38% of Fort Worth properties face some kind of flood risk.

The city plans city to spend over $100 million over the next five years on flood mitigation improvements.

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