Drought, destructive ice storms and a pandemic drove representatives of the San Antonio community to rank affordability as the top priority in setting SAWS’ 2023 rates.
After valued input from a citizens’ Rate Advisory Committee and unanimous approval by City Council, SAWS delivered on that priority with a new rate structure that took effect in January.
“In the past, we’ve tended to look at affordability in connection with our lower-income customers,” said Mary Bailey, SAWS senior vice president of customer experience. “This time around, the Rate Advisory Committee wanted to make sure everybody can afford the ‘essential use water’ needed to support their family and home.”
Under the new structure, fixed charges for residential customers were reduced by up to 20% and the average residential customer saw an 8.7% decrease in their monthly bill.
The new rates also include a separate, discounted structure for low-income customers that is partially funded by a small fee applied to other customers’ water and wastewater use. The Uplift Assistance Fee is 32 cents per 1,000 gallons, or $2.88 a month for 9,000 gallons of water use.
Learn more about SAWS’ new rate structure and Uplift Assistance Fee at saws.org/rates.