McLendon-Chisholm Officials Look to Secure, Strengthen Water for City: Residents invited to town hall to hear about solutions for a better water future

McLendon-Chisholm, Texas (August 2, 2023) – On Tuesday, McLendon-Chisholm city officials shared their vision for a secure water future for the city at a town hall meeting hosted by Mayor Keith Short and Mayor Pro Tem Adrienne Balkum.

Nearly 100 residents attended the meeting at McLendon-Chisholm City Hall, and got to see firsthand the city’s roadmap for solutions for the community, including city ownership of the water system and a direct relationship with the regional water wholesaler.

“Our recent experiences with water rationing, shortages and boil notices demonstrate the critical needs for a secure water solution from an established provider, and not a water broker,” said Mayor Short. “We look forward to continuing to visit with residents about our efforts to secure a
long-term, stable water source so we can maintain the high-quality life our families expect and deserve.”

Under this plan, city ownership of the water system would allow the city a direct relationship with the North Texas Municipal Water District (NTMWD) and ensure that water customers are getting water for the lowest possible cost. This plan would also provide opportunities for tax-exempt financing through the city for infrastructure improvements and would allow for bundling of water, sewage and trash hauling bills for customers.

“This is a quality of life issue for the families that call McLendon-Chisholm home,” said Mayor Pro Tem Balkum. “City ownership of the RCH water system would ensure the lowest cost for customers, the most stable relationship with the water wholesaler and the most transparency to
customers.”

The NTMWD primarily provides water service to cities and special utility districts. For-profit brokers (like Aqua Texas, among others) cannot buy water directly from a regional wholesaler like NTMWD, so they will never have a priority relationship or be able to provide the lowest cost
for water.

Cities in Texas are almost always the best possible long-term managers of water infrastructure and water supplies which is why the state’s water wholesalers primarily sell to cities. Ownership by a for-profit entity would give RCH customers a lower priority access to water – increasing the risk for shortages, rationing and boil notices. For-profit entities often rely on groundwater wells for their water supply – increasing the cost to treat and maintain water supplies.

For more information on the City of McLendon-Chisholm, visit www.mclendon-chisholm.com.

Submitted press release

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