The quickest approach to figure out which MUD district serves you is to look at our Which MUD District Serves You? map.
Yes. According to the Texas Open Meetings Act, all of the District’s meetings are open to the public. Our monthly Business Meetings are held at the offices of Allen Boone Humphries Robsinson on the third Thursday of each month at 12:00 p.m. In addition, on the Tuesday before the District’s normal business meeting, we have a Community Meeting in the neighborhood at 7:00 p.m. We hope to see you at one of the meetings!
It’s not uncommon for subdivisions like Coles Crossing to have many MUDs inside their bounds. When the community was developed, the developer made the final decision.
“The North Harris County Regional Water Authority is known by several acronyms, including RWA. The acronym for the North Harris County Regional Water Authority is also commonly used “NHCRWA (the abbreviation used by the Water Authority in its own papers). When you see these different acronyms, you should know that they all refer to the same water authority. ‘The’ “The RWA FEE shown on your account is a charge levied by the NHCRWA to a MUD depending on the amount of groundwater pumped and/or surface water obtained from the NHCRWA. The fee levied on MUDs within the NHCRWA’s jurisdiction is not optional. The NHCRWA examines its rate structure and pricing on an annual basis and publishes new rates in a variety of publications on the NHCRWA website, including this Updated Pricing Policy.
Attending one of our meetings is the greatest way to stay informed. All meetings are open to the public, and residents are encouraged to attend and participate.
MUD 365 is working on a number of projects in Coles Crossing and The Park at Arbordale to improve the quality of life. For more information on some of our recent initiatives, go to our Current Projects page.
Please see the attached document “For the most up-to-date contact information, go to the Report A Problem link on our home page.
The amount of MUD 365 residents who participated in the recycling project has blown us away. On a weekly and monthly basis, we keep an eye on it. The number of people who have participated has surpassed 70%, and the amount of recyclables has increased significantly.
Cross-connections inside the Public Water System can contaminate the system in a variety of ways. When installing equipment that uses potable water for its functioning or when something has a direct link to a potable water system, such as an irrigation system, spa, or swimming pool, numerous inspections are required.
Potable water lines must be secured from possible contamination from irrigation systems and pool fill lines due to the circumstances stated above. Backflow can happen as a result of backsiphonage or backpressure. Backsiphonage occurs when the distribution system’s pressure drops, allowing water from the consumer’s pipework to flow back into the system. A main line failure or a significant water demand, such as fighting a local fire, could cause pressure decreases. When a potable water system is connected to another system that operates at a greater pressure, such as an irrigation system or a pool fill line, backpressure can cause backflow.
The state of Texas requires that irrigation systems and swimming pools be inspected upon installation and, in some cases, annually depending on the application, to ensure that the right backflow prevention assembly is utilized to protect the public water supply. Because the property is directly connected to the Public Water System, backpressure and backsiphonage may occur, residential applications are not exempt.
The following are the Inspection Criteria:
1. Residents should submit a set of design drawings or plans, as well as a check for $175 payable to Harris County Municipal District No. 365, for plan approval, depending on which District they live in. Prior to the start of construction, these documents are delivered to the Municipal Utility District Engineer for approval.
2. The Engineer will review the designs and, if approved, will transmit them to the district operator, Si Environmental, LLC’s inspections department.
3. The customer and/or contractor who is installing the swimming pool or irrigation system must contact Si Environmental at 832-490-1610 to arrange for an inspection of their pool or irrigation system. Inspection fees will be deducted from the customer’s water account in accordance with the district’s current Rate Order.
4. If Si Environmental is not notified, an inspection will be scheduled 30 days from the date on the engineer’s approval letter. According to the district’s current Rate Order, each trip to the customer’s residence for an inspection will result in a debit to the customer’s water account for the fees associated with the inspection.
The following are the most prevalent causes for failing an inspection:
1. A backflow protection device, such as a hose bibb vacuum breaker, is not permanently put on the water line used to fill the pool.
2. The swimming pool has a direct connection fill line that is not properly protected against backflow.
3. At the sanitary sewer connection, the backwash line for the swimming pool does not have the proper air gap.
4. The backflow prevention system on the swimming pool fill line fails the backflow test.
5. Due to location or height, the backflow preventor on the irrigation system is not properly placed.
Backflow prevention devices safeguard us all from contaminants getting into our drinking water supply. If you haven’t had yours examined for appropriate operation, you should contact Si Environmental, a certified irrigator, swimming pool contractor, or MUD operator, to make sure it’s in good operating order. We all have a role to play in ensuring the safety of our drinking water system.
Cost of Water / Sewer / Trash Service
On its monthly water billing statement, MUD 501 includes three separate charges for residents: 1) the District’s operational costs for the water supply and distribution system, 2) the West Harris County Regional Water Authority’s surface water and groundwater pumpage fees, and 3) the costs to provide sewer and trash service. All of this is covered in further depth further down:
Water Service Costs
The “Water Charges” line item on a resident’s bill reflects the costs connected with delivering water to the resident. MUD 501’s water running costs, as well as the District’s portion of MUD 500’s (in its capacity as the Master District) operating costs, legal fees, operator fees, administrative fees, and other consulting fees, are included in these costs. MUD 501 recovers costs by charging residents a monthly rate per thousand gallons utilized set by the Board in its Amended Rate Order. A minimum price is included in the rate plan that all residents must pay regardless of their usage. Residents occasionally object about the minimum charge, however because some of MUD 501’s operational costs are fixed regardless of usage, the minimum charge helps to ensure that MUD 501’s costs are covered. The following are MUD 501’s current monthly single family residential water service rates:
- $22.00 per month for 0-7,000 gallons
- $2.25 per thousand liters, 7,001-15,000 gallons
- $2.50 per thousand gallons for 15,001-25,000 gallons
- $3.00 per thousand gallons over 25,000 gallons
The methodology of increasing the water rate as consumption grows is crucial to note because it is done in part to encourage water conservation. It is estimated that 70% of water usage is used for outside watering, with around 50% of this amount ending up in storm sewer drains. To put it another way, the water is squandered.
What is the Whcrwa fee?
Residents’ water bills include a WHCRWA cost for water pumped by utility districts (well pumpage fee) and surface water given to them by the WHCRWA (surface water fee). The utility districts then charge their individual customers for the water they use, and may change the amount imposed by the WHCRWA as a pass-through expense on the retail water bill to cover things like leaks in their system and fire hydrant usage.
The fees received are used to pay the WHCRWA’s capital, operations/maintenance, and debt service budgets. The great majority of WHCRWA’s annual allocations go toward debt service, surface water purchases, and the system needed to transfer surface water from City of Houston-owned drinking water sources to the MUDs within its limits.
The first phase of the HGSD’s groundwater reduction mandate was completed in 2010, resulting in a 30% reduction in the area’s dependency on groundwater. The next deadline is 2025, when 60 percent of the water must be converted to alternative (or surface) water.
On my water bill, what does Nhcrwa stand for?
North Harris County Regional Water Authority (North Harris County Regional Water Authority) is a water authority in North Harris County “The National Groundwater Conversion and Reuse Water Authority (NHCRWA) was established by the Texas Legislature to assist in the conversion of the region within its boundaries from groundwater to primarily surface water. HCMUD 249 (“the District”), along with other municipal utility districts in the area, is a participant in the NHCRWA’s Groundwater Reduction Plan in order to comply with the statutory mandate to minimize groundwater usage ” (“GRP”).
The NHCRWA is responsible for building the necessary water delivery infrastructure to transport surface water to the areas within the NHCRWA in order to comply with the groundwater reduction mandate. The NHCRWA levies fees to well owners/municipal utility districts within the NHCRWA’s limits depending on the amount of water pumped by their wells or the amount of surface water received by the NHCRWA in order to design, develop, and operate the necessary infrastructure.
Securing a long-term, reliable supply of wholesale drinking water for North Harris County
As a result, the NHCRWA charges the District a price for each 1,000 gallons of groundwater removed by the District (the “GRP Fee”), which the NHCRWA may raise from time to time. The GRP Fees, plus a 3.5 percent premium to support relevant District expenditures, are then passed on to the District’s consumers based on how much water they use. As a result, each user within the District is billed a separate amount for each 1,000 gallons of water delivered to such user in a billing cycle equal to 103.5 percent of the GRP Fee charged to the District by the NHCRWA for each 1,000 gallons of water for that period, in addition to the district’s water rates.
The NHCRWA fee that appears on homeowners’ bills is not a District fee; it is a mandated fee imposed by the NHCRWA and passed on to residents via their water bills. This charge is completely based on how much water people consume at home. The current and historical NHCRWA fees can be found here.
Please use the contact form on the District’s website if you have any additional questions about this or anything else related to HCMUD 249.
Do you think your community would be interested in this? Use the social networking buttons at the top of the news article to share the news with your neighbors on Facebook and Twitter, or copy the link to share on Nextdoor!
In Texas, what is the typical monthly water bill?
A total of 128 cities reported providing water to their citizens. The average cost of 5,000 gallons of water in all cities is $39.83, down 3.40 percent from the average of $42.23 in 2021. The average monthly household consumption in all cities is 5,481 gallons.
In 125 of the communities that responded to the study, wastewater service is available. The average cost of wastewater service for a home usage of 5,000 gallons is $33.46, up 5.55 percent over last year’s average of $31.70.
- Summary of Water Fees by Population Group
- Details on Residential and Commercial Water Costs
- Summary of Wastewater Fees by Population Category
- Details on Residential and Commercial Wastewater Costs
Where does Harris County get its water?
Obtaining Water 1. The Chattahoochee River is pumped into Lake Harding, where it is processed at the Harris County Water Filtration Plant on Bartletts Ferry Road. 2. Water is obtained from the City of Columbus, which pumps water from the Chattahoochee River at Lake Oliver during seasons of high demand.
What is the definition of a surface water charge?
When rainwater falls on a property and drains away, this is known as surface water drainage.
The majority of rainwater falling on homes drains into public sewers owned by England and Wales’ ten water and sewerage corporations. These businesses are in charge of collecting and processing rainwater. If your property’s rainwater flows into a public sewer, you’ll be charged for surface water drainage on your sewer bill.
Surface water drainage will be included in your account in one of the following ways:
- a cost included in the recurring charge
- a charge based on the amount of water you use on a volumetric basis
- a charge depending on your property’s rateable value
- through a fee based on the type of residence you have
What is the Nhcrwa’s major mission?
The NHCRWA’s main goal was to secure enough surface water and build a method to make the shift to surface water as quickly as possible in order to meet the Harris-Galveston Subsidence District’s groundwater reduction deadline.
Why is the water bill in Houston so high?
Houstonians will face higher water bills starting in September, as the City Council approved the largest hike in water and wastewater rates in decades on Wednesday, in order to replace outdated infrastructure and comply with a federal deal to stop sewage leaks.
The new charges, which would increase water rates by up to 47 percent over five years and wastewater bills by up to 63 percent, were approved by a 12-4 majority of the council. In September, the increases will be 9 and 20%, respectively. From 2022 to 2026, the rates would increase every April.
Why is Houston’s water so expensive?
Residents in Houston could expect an increase in their water costs starting this month.
The city’s significant increase in water prices takes effect on Wednesday, meaning most customers’ bills will go up. This year, the rates for water and wastewater jumped by up to 9% and 20%, respectively. In the next five years, they are expected to grow by a total of 47 percent to 63 percent each April.
Why is Houston’s water bill increasing?
Beginning September 1, 2021, Houston homeowners should expect a modest increase in their water costs. After the Houston City Council approved a proposal Wednesday to improve the city’s aging water and sewer systems, water and wastewater rates are slated to rise in September.