Water and Sewer Rates Reverting Back to Pre-October Rates, Account Credits Will Be Issued

After conducting an internal review, the City of Del Rio found that it’s new water and sewer rate was “implemented incorrectly” and therefore is null and void. This announcement was made during the regular City Council meeting on Monday, November 10, 2025. The City Council said that the process they took to approve the rates, back in June 2025, did not completely comply with Del Rio’s City Charter.

The charter states, “Any change in rate in any utility has to be heard, by giving the public 30 days notice,” said City Attorney Ana Markowski Smith. The City Charter explicitly requires that a public hearing be held prior to any water or sewer rate change, and that residents must be given at least 30 days’ advance notice of any public hearing. Smith said no record of the publication of a 30-day notice could be found for any public hearing regarding the June 2025 utility rate change vote.

The City Council voted on the new water and sewer rates in June 2025. This early vote was taken while the City was in pursuit of loans for their water infrastructure improvement projects; it helped them get lower interest rates. Many public hearings were held regarding the water and sewer rate between June and October, however, they were held after the first vote. A second vote on the rates was held in September, when the 2025-2026 fiscal year budget was being adopted. It is the integrity of the original vote from June that is in being called into question.

CLICK HERE TO READ ABOUT THE FRIDAY 11.07.25 CITY COUNCIL MEETING.

A Special City Council meeting took place on Friday, November 7, 2025, where an error was identified in the new sewer billing process regarding the “winter averaging” calculation. 14 concerned citizen comments spanned 40 minutes that night. By Monday, the City had come to the realization that the entire new rate structure had to be thrown out, due to the administrative error of not posting the proper 30-day notice. Mayor Al Arreola said, “Friday’s meeting was the eye opener for us.”

Smith said, “What we are planning on doing to rectify that, first of all, we automatically go back to the old rates, and so we don’t have to worry about the winter averaging because that was included before.” There will be a public hearing held on December 12, 2025, at the Civic Center that will be advertised and promoted. The date and location are penciled in, pending confirmation.

Earlier in the day, the City Attorney met with the City Manager, Assistant City Manager, Utility Billing Supervisor, and the Communications and Marketing Director to talk about “how to educate the public, about the process, and why the City intended to increase the rates, and what the money was going to be used for.” Smith said, “The winter averaging calculation is back on the books and the water and wastewater rates are exactly what they were before October 1, 2015.”

Burkhart followed up, “We are working to accurately go back and recalculate and do adjustments on billings.” She said the old rates would be applied for October, November, and December. The new rates will be brought back for a vote in December, to take place after the December 12 public hearing. If all goes according to plan, Burkhart said the new effective date for the new rates should be January 1, 2026.  

Smith said, “the new rates took effect October 1^st, because they were not implemented correctly, that order was void, and so, it’s as its never existed. The higher rates will be adjusted to reflect that the new rates are now the old rates.”  Smith said it “was not lawfully done.” Therefore, the old rate will automatically be put back in place. Burkhart said, “Those billing adjustments are being worked on, even as we speak.”

Late fees preexisting prior to October will still need to be paid. But any late fees occurred during the months of October, November, and December will be waived. Burkhart told the City Council, “We are going to bring an ordinance before you, for those 3 months, to waive late fees.” She also said, “There will be no cut-offs in December,” meaning no one will lose water or sewer service during the month of December, no matter their billing status.  

Utility Billing Supervisor Viviana Rosalez said, “Moving forward, we are going to adjust everybody’s October bill – everybody – commercial and residential… Going back to our old water and sewer, so we have to reverse all cycles, bill again October… We are directed not to penalize anybody. We haven’t penalized anybody for October billing.”

Councilperson James DeReus said, “We are now finding out that we did everything wrong.” Councilperson Randy Quinonez said, “This is embarrassing.” Councilperson Carmen Gutierrez said, “Not only is it frustrating and confusing for our citizens, its frustrating for me…. It’s coming back to us that we did something wrong. So, I take responsibility as well, and its not just the City Manager, it’s the City Attorney, myself, all of us on council, and all of city administration… it’s on all of us.”

Del Rio utilities for October, November, and December will be billed with the old rate. New bills will be issued for the month of October. If residents already paid the October bill, account credits will be issued for any overpayment. Credits will be applied to the bill for November. The City hopes to have a proper vote on a new rate by December and aims to have the new rate back into effect by January 1, 2026. A public hearing about the water and sewer rate increase is tentatively scheduled for December 12, 2025, at the Civic Center.

Smith concluded, “We have a plan with media, utility billing, and administration.” A flyer with more information will be included with your November bill, residents will receive the flyer in December.