Woodlands City Council Passes Mayor's 2026 Service Fee Ordinance With October Start

The Woodlands City Council approved the mayor's service fee ordinance on July 6. The measure revises rates for residential water usage and waste collection permits across the city. All 45,000 household accounts fall under the new structure once the October billing cycle begins.

City staff completed the required annual cost review in June. The published 2026 fiscal year budget document identified higher expenses at the main water treatment facility as the reason for the update. The ordinance applies only to accounts managed by the Woodlands municipal utilities department.

Residents who exceed 10,000 gallons of water per month will pay eight cents more per additional gallon. Waste bin permit renewals rise by 15 dollars each year. These adjustments appear on statements mailed after October 1. Property owners who request new or larger bins must submit forms using the updated fees from August 15 onward.

Budget Figures and Local Effects

The 2026 fiscal year budget document projects 3.4 million dollars in added revenue from the revised fees. The same document lists a 450,000 dollar allocation for treatment plant repairs in the current quarter. Average monthly water bills for households using 8,000 gallons stand at 42 dollars under the old rates.

Implementation Schedule

The city clerk will send notices to every account holder by July 20. Permit applications processed after August 15 use the new amounts. Commercial accounts face a separate review scheduled for January 2027. Residents can view the full ordinance text on the finance department section of the city website.

Questions about individual accounts go to the utilities office at the municipal building. Staff there handle adjustments for accounts already in payment plans.