Oct 1, 2019 · Origin

FY2019/20 budget includes a 7% water and sewer rate increase, 4% of it for automated metering

The City's adopted FY2019/20 budget (October 1, 2019 - September 30, 2020) included a 7% water and sewer rate increase: 4% to support a $29.5 million bond issue for the Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) project and 3% for operations and maintenance. The budget book says the City paused year four of its five-year Water & Sewer capital program to fund AMI and expected Texas Water Development Board financing, for which it applied in 2019. The budget was adopted 4-1. A 2022 news report quotes the Director of Utilities placing the AMI-related 4% increase in October 2021; the timing difference is recorded as variants.^[1]^[2]

Ginger Nelson Elaine Hays

What the sources say

✓ Verified
The FY2019/20 budget book states the budget includes a 7% water and sewer rate increase, of which 4% funds a debt issuance for the Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) project (radio-read meters and supporting infrastructure) and 3% is a general operations and maintenance increase.^[1]
Rate increase
7%
Ami share
4%
Om share
3%
✓ Verified
The FY2019/20 budget lists capital project 530044, Advanced Metering Infrastructure, at $29,506,375, with anticipated funding through the Texas Water Development Board. It states the City applied for TWDB funding for the AMI project during 2019 and was awaiting approval.^[1]
Amount
$29,506,375
✓ Verified
The budget book states the City paused year four of its five-year, roughly $140 million Water & Sewer capital program (funded by annual 3% increases begun in 2016/17) to implement AMI, and expected to resume it with a 3% increase in 2020/21.^[1]
✓ Verified
The FY2019/20 budget's record vote lists Mayor Ginger Nelson and Councilmembers Freda Powell, Eddy Sauer and Howard Smith for adoption and Councilmember Elaine Hays against.^[1]^[3]
⚠ Sources differ
Sources place the AMI-related 4% water and sewer increase in different years.
Reported value 1[1]
Date
2019-10-01
City budget book: the Council approved 'a 4% water and sewer fee increase effective October 1, 2019' for the $29.5 million AMI issuance
Reported value 2[2]
Date
2021-10-01
Date precision
month
NewsChannel10 (March 4, 2022) quoting the Director of Utilities: the four percent increase 'took effect last October'
✓ Verified
No dated 2019 news report on the AMI rate increase was found. Council minutes record a July 30, 2019 staff presentation of a proposed AMI rate increase and the 4-1 adoption of the FY2019/20 budget ordinance on September 24, 2019.^[4]^[3]^[1]

Related events

Council authorizes $29.5 million Texas Water Development Board loan application for AMI Jan 15, 2019
Director of Utilities presents a proposed rate increase to fund AMI Jul 30, 2019
Council adopts FY2019/20 budget ordinance amending water and sewer rates, 4-1 Sep 24, 2019

Sources

1.City of Amarillo Annual Budget, Fiscal Year 2019-2020 — City of Amarillo, Oct 1, 2019 · retrieved Oct 9, 2026primarySubject-authoredAdopted budget book (re-hosted 2026). Cover notice text is font-garbled in the PDF; the record vote of the governing body is legible. Narrative covers the 2016 bond election and rate history 2008-2020.
2.Amarillo replacing more than 70,000 traditional water meters with digital system — NewsChannel10 (KFDA), Mar 4, 2022 · retrieved Oct 9, 2026news
3.City Council Regular Meeting minutes, September 24, 2019 — City of Amarillo, Sep 24, 2019 · retrieved Oct 10, 2026primarySubject-authoredScanned minutes (image PDF, read visually). Item 3A, second and final reading of Ordinance No. 7811; as on September 17, the ordinance captions under Items 3A and 3B appear transposed.
4.City Council Special Meeting minutes, July 30, 2019 — City of Amarillo, Jul 30, 2019 · retrieved Oct 10, 2026primarySubject-authoredScanned minutes (image PDF, read visually) of a special meeting held at the Globe-News Center for the Performing Arts. Item 2 records the AMI rate presentation.