City of Magnolia sees increase in water fees

The reduction of nearby communities on the ground supply will leave more water available to groundwater users. If Texas does not lessen its dependence on groundwater, Magnolia and Tomball area residents and the more than 10,000 farmers, ranchers and energy businesses in the region will have a water shortage by 2060, according to area leaders.

There are no plans for Magnolia or Tomball areas to convert to surface water because groundwater supplies for both cities are strong, according to city officials. Last year, Tomball added two wells to its system, bringing its total to five wells.

The city of Magnolia and the SJRA entered into an agreement in 2010 for residents to pay a fee per 1,000 gallons of water used to help cities convert to surface water from Lake Conroe.

"What SRJA is doing is spreading the costs to take those folks in the densely populated areas off the aquifer that everyone depends on so we can continue to use the wells out here," said Texas State Rep. Cecil Bell Jr., a freshman legislator representing parts of Montgomery and Waller counties in District 3. "Yes, we are paying, but your alternative is to either not have that much water available and force yourself into a reduction mode or to come up with some system where the city mandates water conservation."

The fee for Magnolia residents started in 2011 at 75 cents per 1,000 gallons. The fee increased to $1.75 per 1,000 gallons of water in September—first appearing on the bills in October. It will increase to $2.25 next year and level off at that amount through fiscal year 2017.

"In September, it increased to $1.75, so residents saw the difference in their bill in October," said Ronda Trow, public relations manager for SJRA. "In the beginning it was 75 cents. Most residents probably never noticed it. A lot of the time the utility companies don't even list that out as a separate fee. Each utility is different. Obviously now it's increased to the amount people are noticing."

Bell said the SJRA fee on his bill is about 15 percent of his water bill for his Magnolia residence and 19 percent for his business.

SJRA provides a letter to utility companies to notify users of the increase, Trow said. However, it is up to the utility companies whether they choose to send the letter.

"Right before there's a rate increase, we contact all our participants," Trow said. "We offer an insert notice to put in the utility bill, or we will mail them for the utilities. We're trying to educate as much as we can."

Only option

In the 2009 legislative session, the state Legislature mandated that counties reduce their reliance on groundwater by 30 percent by Jan. 1, 2016 or pay a fee.

"We didn't have a choice," said Magnolia Mayor Todd Kana. "Converting to surface water just isn't possible."

Kana said he is frustrated with the fees.

"We can't get out of it," he said. "I don't know the solution other than the Legislature has to come up with some sort of system of rebating these fees to municipalities, such as Magnolia, that had no other choice."

The reduction of nearby communities on the groundwater supply will leave more water available to groundwater users, Bell said.

"I am appreciative that the SJRA took the initiative to provide a countywide solution," Bell said. "As the state representative for the citizens who are carrying the burden of the cost, I balance that appreciation against my concerns for assuring the consistency of the pool level of Lake Conroe even in times of drought."

Even though neither Tomball nor Magnolia is expecting water shortages in the near future, population growth does raise questions about the long term.

"We have to address the need for water in order to ensure a strong future for Texas," Bell said.

Additional reporting by Shawn Arrajj and Brian Walzel