Public services with the City of Austin. Your bill includes utility charges for the City of Austin. Depending on where you live, this may include charges for drainage, electricity, solid waste, utility, wastewater and water. The City of Austin provides public services to residents of Austin and some surrounding areas. Depending on where you live, you could receive one or more public services from the city of Austin.
The Texas Local Government Code (TLGC), Chapter 212, Municipal Subdivision and Real Estate Development Regulations, prohibits the connection of public utilities to any parcel of land that is not legally sown or exempt from the municipality's planting requirements. While most of Texas is now unregulated when it comes to electric service, the Austin metropolitan area is one of the few markets that remains regulated. While this would have the effect of deregulating the Austin market, the bill has not yet been approved in the Senate and would have to be approved by the House of Representatives and the governor before entering in force. If an exception is allowed, land status determination is requested through the City of Austin and, once issued, that date is used as the determining date for the applicable rate list.
However, Austin Energy offers ways for energy efficient customers to get rebates and save on their bills. Impact rates help Austin Water keep water and wastewater service rates lower for taxpayers, as they allow growth to pay off on its own. There are deposit exemptions, and City of Austin Utilities refunds deposits with interest when certain conditions are met. If you're moving outside of the Austin metropolitan area, you may have more options when it comes to choosing your electricity provider.
The City of Austin's current water and wastewater impact rates per service unit are presented in the tables below. The Multifamily Partnership Program (MPP) provides for the automatic transfer of public services from vacant rents to the owner's name. The service details section of your bill describes a detailed breakdown of the costs of electricity, water and wastewater services and the rates that apply to your City of Austin utility bill. Keep in mind that the Austin area frequently experiences droughts and therefore has water use restrictions, so make sure you know the rules before watering your yard or washing your car, as penalties may be imposed.
