Tag Archives: Austin Water Utility
Monday, August 6, 2018 by Jessi Devenyns
Water
Austin Water lays the path forward for the next 100 years of water conservation
There’s no denying it: The climate as we know it is changing, but access to water sources is not.Three years ago the second iteration of the Water Forward Task Force convened in an effort to draft a 100-year water supply…
Tuesday, July 24, 2018 by Jessi Devenyns
City Hall
Despite water bill debacle, Austin’s utility customer service rating remains unharmed
The wounds that last fall’s water bill catastrophe left behind had the potential to open up once again as Austin Energy reviewed its customer service ratings and presented the findings at the July 16 meeting of the Electric Utility Commission.“Didn’t we…
Wednesday, July 18, 2018 by Jessi Devenyns
Water
Commissioners: Water bills should be overseen by Austin Water
Following the water bill fiasco from last fall, Austin Energy and Austin Water teamed up on a working group to uncover the puzzling reasons behind the unusual spikes.Although the group started off with one question, Commissioner Mickey Maia reported back…
Wednesday, May 16, 2018 by Jessi Devenyns
Water
Despite low water usage from Austinites, Austin Water continues to pay down debt
As it happens every year, Austin Water, the city-owned water and wastewater utility, is currently in the midst of planning its budget for the next fiscal year, which will also reflect an updated financial forecast until the year 2023.Although this…
Friday, May 4, 2018 by Chad Swiatecki
Environment
Talking climate change, national water experts in Austin look for answers
With temperatures creeping toward the triple digits and area rainfall totals falling below historical averages, Austin’s environmental and public planning communities recently got a look at the ways local governments across the country are planning to deal with water management…
Wednesday, May 2, 2018 by Caleb Pritchard
Water
Purple pipe to save water, Travis County tax dollars
Travis County Commissioner Brigid Shea gathered members of the media at the Heman Marion Sweatt Courthouse on Tuesday afternoon to tout a water conservation program that will save millions of gallons of drinking water per year.Those savings are courtesy of…
Wednesday, March 21, 2018 by Jessi Devenyns
Water
Austin Water still repairing shattered trust with water bill smoothing
After months of investigation, Austin Water and Austin Energy have an answer for the unusual spikes that Austinites saw in their water bills last September.Although Austin Water responded and changed its meter-reading contractor after the rash of misreads came to…
Thursday, February 1, 2018 by Jack Craver
Resources
Troxclair wants to know how rates compare to other Texas utilities
This year, the average Austinite will spend $2,475 on utility bills to cover the cost of electricity, water and garbage pickup.City Council Member Ellen Troxclair wants to know how that compares to what other people served by other utilities in…
Tuesday, December 19, 2017 by Jessi Devenyns
Water
Austin Water pitches rate reductions in 2018
It has been 15 years since the last time Austin Water reduced the rates for the utility. There is a chance, however, that this trend may end in January.On Dec. 13, the assistant director of Austin Water, David Anders, presented…
Monday, December 18, 2017 by Jessi Devenyns
Water
Phantom water bill charges remain an unsolved mystery at Austin Water
For several years, water bills have been mysteriously spiking and leaving homeowners clutching their wallets and demanding answers. However, even when the public came en masse to plead that the Electric Utility Commission demand answers from city staff after the…
Monday, October 2, 2017 by Jo Clifton
City Hall
Council puts off ethics rules vote
City Council postponed a vote on the proposed new ethics ordinance Thursday, raising questions about whether a new request for proposal for handling city biosolids might become the subject of lobbying.That was certainly not Council’s intent, according to Council Member…
Thursday, August 17, 2017 by Jessi Devenyns
Water
Austin Water will not be raining down new rate increases in 2018
For the first time in 15 years, Austin Water Utility will not be increasing its rates. On Aug. 9, Austin Water presented its $614.8 million Fiscal Year 2017-18 budget proposal to the Water and Wastewater Commission for approval.Joseph Gonzales, the…
Wednesday, May 17, 2017 by Sommer Brugal
Water
Costly wastewater expansion gets OK
Only a few commissioners raised questions on various recommendations presented at the Water and Wastewater Commission’s regular meeting May 10. But when it came to the approval of interlocal agreements and costs related to the Brushy Creek Regional Wastewater System…
Monday, April 24, 2017 by Jack Craver
Water
Troxclair gets meter-reading contract postponed
How accurate are the water meters that determine how much Austinites pay their city-owned utility each month? Past allegations of frequent misreadings came up again at City Council Thursday, when Council Member Ellen Troxclair suggested that the city is not…
Friday, March 31, 2017 by Jo Clifton
Roads
Fixing street cut repair program to take time
City Council Member Ellen Troxclair said she was “really alarmed” when she read the Office of the City Auditor report showing that the city has a 3.6-year backlog in repairing potholes created by utility crews fixing water lines. That’s the…
Tuesday, March 28, 2017 by Jack Craver
Resources
City utilities devise plan to help with unpaid bills
Austin’s two city-owned utilities are teaming up to help some of the city’s most indebted customers catch up on unpaid bills.Beginning this summer, the joint effort between Austin Energy and Austin Water will target 543 customers who participate in AE’s…
Tuesday, January 17, 2017 by Jo Clifton
City Hall
Austin Water official resigns under cloud
The program manager for Austin Water’s Public Information & Marketing Office resigned in late December after an investigation by the Office of the City Auditor concluded that he had accepted a gift or favor from a city contractor and wasted…
Wednesday, November 23, 2016 by Jack Craver
Water
Austin Water in process of cost-of-service study
Austin Water, the city-owned water and wastewater utility, is currently in the midst of a lengthy cost-of-service study that will shape the rates it will charge Austin residents and businesses for water over the next decade.Unlike Austin Energy, the city-owned…
Wednesday, November 23, 2016 by Jo Clifton
City Hall
Audit finds misuse of city resources
Two employees of Austin Water are facing possible disciplinary actions after an investigation by the Office of the City Auditor found that they used city computers for work on their secondary employment.Reports from both investigations demonstrate how difficult it may…
