Utility Rates & Charges : Explanation of Utility Bill Charges and Fees

Explanation of Utility Bill Charges and Fees 

Water

Water rates are based on a 5/8th inch standard meter. 

In District
 Base Fee  $20.00
 Off-Peak (Oct-May)  $3.50 per 1,000 gallons used
 Peak (June-Sept)  $4.70 per 1,000 gallons used

Water services connections that are dedicated fire connections (utilized only for fire suppression and related testing purposes) and not used for other purposes will be exempt from payment of the Base Monthly Service Fee. Any use of water through such connections for non-fire protection purposes shall result in immediate payment of Base Monthly Service Fees for the prior unauthorized usage period and for all future use for as long as the connection remains in active service. Fire connections shall be subject to payment of volumetric rates. 

Why is My Monthly Bill Exactly the Same Amount?

A customer may receive a statement for the same bill amount for several months in a row if they are consistent in their usage.  Water usage is calculated per each thousand gallons of usage.  We can not bill customers for less than 1,000 gallons.  It is also possible to receive a bill for zero usage even though you did consume water that month, but you used less than a thousand gallons.  If no water is used during the month, customers will still be billed the base rate for water and sewer plus garbage and regulatory fees.

Example of bill when monthly water usage is over 1,000 gallons but under 2,000 gallons: 

  • If you use 1,500 gallons of water one month, the 500 gallons carries over to the following month.  Your statement will show usage for 1,000 gallons this month even though you used more than 1,000 gallons.  The next month you will start off with 500 gallons of water usage instead of zero.  The current amount of water usage will then be added to the 500 gallons carried over to calculate your total usage for the month.

Wastewater/Sewer

New residents are billed based on an average usage of 7,000 gallons until the winter average is established. The District uses a sewer average based on four (4) months water consumption from November through February of the previous year to calculate your monthly bill. Residents are able to impact annual bills to some extent by conserving during these four months. Upon request, a six-month consumption history may be used to adjust your bill below the 7,000 gallon District average.

In District

  Out of District
 Base Fee $9.00  Base Fee  $12.00
 New Resident $3.20 per 1,000 gallons based on District average of 7,000 gallons  New Resident   $10.80 per 1,000 gallons based on District average of 7,000 gallons
 Established Resident $3.20 per 1,000 gallons based on 4 month water consumption average (Nov-Feb of previous year)  Established Resident  $10.80 per 1,000 gallons based on 4 month water consumption average (Nov-Feb of previous year)
Should you experience a water leak or fill a swimming pool during the averaging months you will need to complete a Sewer Adjustment Request form that can be located here or by contacting Customer Service at 255-7871. 

Click here to see how Brushy Creek's water and sewer rates compare to other local utility providers.

Solid Waste

Residents are responsible for solid waste fees which are included on the monthly utility statement. Texas Disposal Systems is the service provider for Brushy Creek Municipal Utility District. 

SOLID WASTE COLLECTION AND RECYCLING FEES

  1. Solid Waste (Garbage) Collection and Recycling Fees-
    1. The District shall collect the following fees for trash collection and administration for Single Family Residences and Duplex Family Residences with water service at the same address:
      1. $23.31 for trash services (One 96 gallon garbage cart and one 96 gallon recycling cart)(New rate $24.03 effective October 1, 2024)
      2. $6.85 for additional garbage or recycling cart (New rate $7.08 effective October 1, 2024)
  2. Stop or Restart Trash Service Request Administration Fee - $15.00 each per occurrence
  3. Customers are responsible for the cost of replacing solid waste or recycling cost that are lost, stolen, damaged or destroyed by abuse at a cost of $65 plus $25 delivery fee.
  4. Please use the Solid Waste/Recycle Request Form to request a change to your solid waste service.

Recycling

Accepted recyclable items include rigid plastic containers with a 1 through 7 in the recycle symbol on the container (remove caps from bottles), aluminum cans, steel cans, tin cans, food boxes, paper towel and toilet paper rolls, newsprint, colored flyers in the newspaper, white office paper, colored office paper, magazines, and all corrugated cardboard. Large amounts of cardboard should be bundled and placed next to the recycle bin. 

Items not accepted include glass, Styrofoam, foil and aluminum tins, paper towels, toilet paper, facial tissue, plastic bags, wet paper, paper plates, plastic utensils, and food boxes with a shiny lining (milk cartons, juice boxes).

Regulatory Compliance Fee

The District is required to maintain a Storm Water Permit from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality. The Regulatory Compliance fee is what is used to fund the Storm Water Permit. The Regulatory Compliance Fee is on the monthly utility statement. The fee is based on the property water meter size with the standard residential 5/8 inch meter charge being $2.00 per month. 

Non-Standard Meter Fees

The District’s Rate Order outlines base fees related to non-standard sized meters and other District fees. Click HERE to view the complete Rate Order. 

Billing Cycles and Payment Options

Utility statements may be viewed and paid online. Login or sign in through the Pay Your Utility Bill Online. 

Our website has special features such as payment alerts and recurring payment options using credit card or ACH. Other payment options are telephone (credit card), in person at the Customer Service, or the white drop box located at the Brushy Creek Community Center. If the payment due date is a Sunday or District approved holiday, payment can be received without any penalties on the following business day. Please note that the Customer Service Office is open on Saturday and due dates that fall on Saturday will need to be paid before or on that date. If you do not receive your bill in the mail, please contact 512-255-7871 and select option one (1). Failure to receive a monthly utility statement does not negate the responsibility to make payment by the due date.