SJRA announces no increase in fiscal 2024 groundwater reduction plan rates

THE WOODLANDS, TX – The San Jacinto River Authority (SJRA) Board of Directors has approved an operating budget with no rate increase for its Groundwater Reduction Plan (GRP) customers. This wholesale water rate applies to area retail water providers including cities, municipal utility districts, and independently owned utilities participating in the SJRA’s GRP program.

GRP customers’ pumpage and import rate (groundwater users only) will stay at $2.99 per 1,000 gallons of groundwater pumped by GRP participants, and the surface water rate at $3.41 per 1,000 gallons of treated surface water delivered from Lake Conroe to participants. The rate funds the operation, maintenance, and debt service of the GRP facilities. The no-increase rate was also approved by the GRP Customer Review Committee in May.

“SJRA always strives to manage the costs of implementation of the GRP so that the lowest responsible fees are adopted,” stated the Authority in a statement. “By comparison, SJRA’s rates are still the lowest in the region among similar regional wholesale water providers.”

The SJRA Board of Directors is required to adopt a budget for operating funds within each of the Authority’s operating divisions for Fiscal Year 2024, which begins September 1, 2023 and ends August 31, 2024. Budgets are thoroughly reviewed by the Board’s Finance Committee and then presented to the full Board of Directors for consideration. Rates for specific services delivered to customers in each of the Authority’s divisions are derived from that division’s budget.

The SJRA Board of Directors also approved budgets and rates for the Authority’s Woodlands Division, which provides wholesale water supply and wastewater treatment services to all ten Municipal Utility Districts in The Woodlands. The operating budget and a two percent adjustment in rates for Fiscal Year 2024 were first voted on and approved by the Woodlands MUD Board of Trustees on August 9. The SJRA Board of Directors subsequently approved the Proposed Fiscal Year 2024 Woodlands Division wholesale water rate of $2.78 per 1,000 gallons and wholesale wastewater rate of $5.65 per 1,000 gallons. The modest adjustment was made due to increases in the cost of chemicals and electricity.

SJRA does not set the retail rates charged to individual users. That is the responsibility of the retail water provider. For more information on household bills, individuals are urged to contact their retail provider.