Rockwall residents to soon see increase in utilities

Rockwall, TX (January 17, 2024) – Rockwall residents will soon see a couple of rate increases on their City of Rockwall Utility bills. According to the solid waste contract with longtime partner, Republic Services, the rates for garbage and recycling will increase 3% for residents and businesses. This translates to an increase of $.65 per month. Under the agreement, Rockwall customers will continue to enjoy unlimited bulk trash pickup, twice per week garbage services, and weekly recycling. The new garbage rates apply to service starting in January and will appear on February bills.

Additionally, the City Council periodically sets water and sewer rates to collect sufficient funds to run the city’s water and wastewater operations, to pay debt service on large utility projects, and to maintain a minimum 60-day reserve in the event of a downturn in revenues.

At the same time, the city’s provider, North Texas Municipal Water District sets water rates to meet their expenses, debt service, and reserve needs. The rate adjustment this year was $.30 cents per thousand gallons of water. Wastewater treatment cost has increased an overall 19.7% year over year.

The new base rate will increase $.76 cents per month for water and $1.75 per month for wastewater. The volumetric rate will increase approximately $.30 cents per thousand gallons across all rate tiers for water and $.70 cents per thousand gallons for wastewater. Wastewater will continue to be billed based on a winter averaging to best reflect the domestic water usage metered at each home compared with the much higher summer months’ consumption.

Residents will see no increase in the cost for household hazardous waste collection. With this service, residents have access to convenient scheduled porch pickup of approved hazardous waste items. The Rockwall City Council granted a five-year contract extension to HHW Solutions, LLC, which has been the city’s hazardous waste provider for several years.

Submitted press release

  north texas water municipal district, republic services, Rockwall, utilities