On Dec. 4, Colleyville City Council held a first reading to increase the city's pass-through water rates for its water and wastewater treatment. These rates will increase by 28 cents and 30 cents, respectively. Pass-through rates, or volumetric rates, are defined as charges for the water and wastewater treatment services provided by the Trinity River Authority. Colleyville calculates rates to only bring in what is anticipated to be paid out to the TRA, according to city documents. In each water bill Colleyville customers pay a base rate to recover the city's operating costs of the water, and a volumetric rate that is based on projected payments to the Trinity River Authority. Assistant City Manager Mark Wood said pass-through rates come to the council at this time because the TRA's fiscal year runs from Dec. 1-Nov. 30 each year. Mayor Richard Newton stressed this rate differs from the city's base rate, but both rates will be placed on a resident's water bill. "We have no control over the TRA [rate], and the only way it can be controlled is by the citizens and how much they use," Newton said. The pass-through rate is driven by the TRA's operating budget; TRA's debt service requirements; and usage, or the number of Colleyville's water and wastewater gallons treated by the TRA, according to city documents. The proposed new pass-through rate for water increases the current rate of $3.86 per thousand gallons to the preliminary new rate of $4.14 per thousand gallons, a difference of 28 cents. The proposed new pass-through rate for wastewater is raised from $2.81 per thousand gallons to the preliminary new rate of $3.11 per thousand gallons, a difference of 30 cents. As this was the first reading for the new rates, the council took no action. This item will return for a final decision at the January City Council meeting.