San Marcos residents will see an increase in a slew of city services—such as electricity, water, wastewater and solid waste—on their bills this upcoming fiscal year. Much like Buda, the city of San Marcos proposed these increases during the budget cycle as costs and needs increase.

What you need to know

City Council approved the following rate amendments for city services Sept. 19:

• Electric utility services will increase by 5%, or $1.71.
• Water, wholesale water, reclaimed water and wastewater treatment utility services will increase by 5%, or around $5.
• The Resource Recovery program cost for residential and multifamily customers will increase by 3%, or $0.22-$0.86.
• The Clean Community Fee will increase by 56%-63%, or $0.85-$3.50.

The percentages and prices are reflected in the increase monthly, not annually.

How we got here

The rate increases come as a result of previous budget workshops and as recommended by the San Marcos Citizen Utility Advisory Board, which reviews the financial performance and status of resources of various city services.

While the recommendations came out of meetings, the increases will cover a range of expenditures directly and indirectly associated with the services, such as:

• Debt services
• Employee compensation studies
• Operational costs and infrastructure for water and wastewater treatment
• Public outreach and education for green waste programs

What's next

The fee increases will start Oct. 1.