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1. Is my utility billing information confidential?

Yes. Generally, we will only disclose your information to persons named on the account. Historically, utility customer information was subject to disclosure under the Texas Government Code, Chapter 552 (Public Information Act) unless a customer specified in writing they wanted their information to be kept confidential, however, in 2021, the Texas legislature passed H.B. 872 amending the Texas Utility Code to make utility customer information confidential by default. You do have the right to request the City disclose your information under the Public Information Act, which you can do by completing a Disclosure of Utility Information and returning the form to the Utility Billing department.

2. Why is my bill so high?

Check the Rate Chart (Inside City Limits [PDF] or Outside City Limits [PDF]). Your bill has a minimum charge for water and sewer, if you have no usage with an active account or usage up to a consumption of 2,000 gallons you will be billed the minimum bill. Check for leaks. Even a small leak can be very costly; find out using this Water Wiser Drip Calculator. Read your own meter, if the City is called out to reread your meter there will be a $15 charge added to your account.

3. How do you determine my wastewater (sewer) charge?

Your sewer usage is based on the amount of water usage. Most water runs through the sewer system.

4. Why is my wastewater (sewer) charge higher that my water charge?

We are required by the state and the TECQ to clean wastewater before returning it to the environment. The dirtier the water is, the more expensive it is to clean it.

5. Where is my meter, and when do you read it?

Your water meter is located just below the ground in the meter box located on the utility easement, normally adjacent to the street. You read the meter just like you would if you were reading the odometer on your vehicle (from left to right). Your meter registers in gallons. If you should attempt to read your meter, please be aware...your meter may be the home to spiders, snakes, frogs or fire ants!

You can check your water usage by taking your most recent utility bill and locating the “present” reading. By subtracting the current reading on your meter from the “present” reading on your most recent bill, you can determine your consumption since the meter was last read. If the current reading is less than that “resent” reading noted on your bill, a reading error or error in data entry has been made. Please call our office at 409-735-6801 for assistance in correcting this. We do try to catch these errors prior to billing, but sometimes they do slip by. For billing purposes, your meter is usually read between the 20th and 25th of each month. Keep in mind that the bill is for a month prior - you can note the “service from” and “service to” dates on your bill.

Because the ground usually stays moist here there is usually mud/dirt over your meter. If our technicians come out to read they know just where the meter dials are, so they do not always clean out where the meter is. They can move just enough mud / dirt to see the reading. The meters are normally read through a wireless system, therefore you may not see a meter reader.

Your meter can also be used to determine the presence of “problems” in your plumbing system. Your meter is equipped with a “tattle tail” triangle located on the face of the meter. To check for leaks, turn off all equipment and faucets. Watch the triangle closely, if there is any movement, this indicated that there is a problem that needs to be taken care of as quickly as possible. Take turns turning off each toilet to see if one of the toilets shows a leak. If you are unsure about this process, we can have a customer service technician assist you. Failure to get this problem fixed will result in higher consumption and a higher utility bill.

6. How much water does my shower, toilet, sink, etc. use?

Activity / Appliance	Water Usage
Shower (5 Minutes)	30 Gallons
Toilet Flushing	5 to 7 Gallons (Tap running)
Brushing Teeth	10 Gallons (Tap running)
Tub Bath	25 Gallons
Shaving	20 Gallons (Tap running)
Washing Hands	2 Gallons (Tap running)
Dishwasher	15 Gallons per load
Washing Machine	25 go 30 Gallons per day
Leaking Toilet (Some leaks you will not hear)	Up to 200 or more gallons a day
Dripping Faucet	Up to 20 Gallons per day