The North Harris County Regional Water Authority (NHCRWA) Board of Directors have approved massive water rate and pumpage fee hikes for over twenty years. Continuing these rate hikes is not sustainable.
NHCRWA fees are up over 2000% in the past twenty years. These are negatively and permanently affecting families’ budgets, already hit by the triple financial burdens of two years of government-mandated COVID-19 shutdowns, high gasoline prices, and inflation of other core necessities, including food.
Lower income families, and those living on fixed incomes, are especially hard hit by the rate increases.
Some households recently reported receiving a higher water bill than their summer electricity bill—unimaginable until recent years—and in the middle of a July heat wave! The water bills’ increases are being driven by increases in fees approved by the NHCRWA board over the past twenty years, not by local subdivision MUD districts, which are forced to pass along the charges to their neighbors. MUD districts are charged these fees even when 100% of their customers’ water comes from subdivision-MUD-owned and operated deep wells, and not from NHCRWA Lake Houston water.
There have been no NHCRWA board of director changes in over twenty years! It is clearly time for fresh perspectives.
We call for an immediate moratorium on any future rate or fee increases and if elected, will champion saving rate payers’ money at every opportunity.
David Barker, challenger candidate for NHCRWA Director District 2
Melissa Rowell, challenger candidate for NHCRWA Director District 3
Mark Ramsey, challenger candidate for NHCRWA Director District 4
Roy Burroughs, challenger candidate for NHCRWA Director District 5