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Water and sewer user fees should pay for needed improvements

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  • Originally published July 4, 2008 at 7:29 p.m., updated July 4, 2008 at 7:29 p.m.

Anytime a city has to do something to make things better for the community, the “something” falls under heavy scrutiny. Detractors will always appear and rightly so. Nobody likes their taxes or services fees increased, and such actions deserve reviewing when they occur.

The Victoria City Council is now reviewing a proposal by its public works department to raise water fees to pay for needed repairs to water and sewer lines in downtown Victoria and under Sam Houston Drive when it is rebuilt.

Historically, and fiscally preferred, water and sewer operations fees have helped to repair water and sewer lines. If not for these fees, where would the city get the funds necessary to keep water lines clean and sewer lines sound?

The Texas Municipal League’s survey of water and sewer rates show that current water fees per customer are below the $36 average for 15 cities (using 10,000 gallons). The current rate in the city is $29.77 per customer.

However, the survey shows the average rate for sewer among those same cities is $36, while Victoria residents pay more at $38.14.

Clearly, Victoria water and sewer rates are generally average for cities with a 50,000 to 75,000 population. So there’s nothing extraordinary about increased rates at this time.

The city has for a long time had a punch list of improvements to make throughout the city. Now it is targeting a couple of those to-do improvements: downtown water and sewer lines and those lines under Sam Houston Drive.

Sound waterlines ensures good, clean drinking water. And let’s not build new streets just to dig them up again to repair an aging sewer line. Fix the sewer lines first and do it right.

User fees are an appropriate way to pay for these water and sewer line improvements.



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