Texas Water Utilities (TWU) customers across the state are facing unreasonable and excessive water bills, where a significant portion of charges are fees, not water. This is not conservation. This is not tiered pricing. This is a billing structure that places a disproportionate financial burden on customers regardless of usage.

A normal month of water use for my household resulted in a bill of $145.97. According to my bill:

“Water Usage … $65.34” 
“Water Base … $59.39”
“Water Pass‑Through Gal. Charge … $19.28”
“Rate Case Surcharge Water … $0.51”
“TX. Comm Environ Quality … $1.45”

This means $80.63 of the bill — 55% — was fees, not water. This was not a high‑usage month. This was not a pool fill. This was not excessive irrigation. This was a normal billing cycle, and more than half the charges were fixed fees and surcharges.

Other TWU customers report bills where 40–80% of the total charges are fees. In some cases, customers using less than $40 of water are billed over $200. These charges include:

• Water Base
•  Sewer Base
• Water Pass‑Through
• Sewer Pass‑Through
• Rate Case Surcharge Water
• Rate Case Surcharge Sewer
• SIC Water
• SIC Wastewater
• TCEQ Fee

These fees apply regardless of usage, meaning customers cannot control or reduce their bills through conservation. This contradicts the purpose of tiered pricing and undermines the intent of Texas Water Code requirements for “just and reasonable” rates.

This petition also comes at a time when the ongoing rate‑increase case involving TWU is not going in favor of Texas residents. Hundreds of customers have participated in the Public Utility Commission (PUC) process — submitting comments, filing protests, and providing documentation showing how these billing practices are harming families. The PUC even publicly asked for protestors because the case was so heavily contested, and Texans responded.

Yet despite the overwhelming public opposition and the evidence provided, the direction of the case has not reflected the concerns of the people who actually pay these bills. Reports have been delayed, filings have been held up, and the issues raised by residents have not been meaningfully addressed. Many customers feel that the regulatory process is not protecting them from excessive fees, unexplained charges, or the financial strain caused by TWU’s billing structure.

The PUC is responsible for ensuring fair and reasonable utility rates in Texas. But in this situation, the Commission has not taken meaningful action to address the issues raised by consumers. When the regulatory system that is supposed to safeguard the public fails to respond, the public has no choice but to escalate the issue.

This petition is that escalation. It is a collective demand for transparency, accountability, and fair billing — and a way to ensure that every official with the authority to intervene is made aware of what is happening.

We, the undersigned, request immediate action from:

• Public Utility Commission of Texas (PUCT)
• Office of Public Utility Counsel (OPUC)
•  Texas Attorney General – Consumer Protection Division
• Our State Representatives and State Senators

We ask for:

1) A full review of TWU’s fee structure, including base rates, pass‑throughs, SIC charges, and surcharges.
2) An investigation into whether these charges comply with Texas Water Code and PUC rules.
3) Oversight to ensure customers are not being subjected to unreasonable or abusive billing practices.
4) Transparency regarding how SIC funds and pass‑through fees are being used.
5) Protection for customers who cannot reduce their bills because fees make up the majority of charges.

Texans deserve fair, transparent, and reasonable water billing. We call on state regulators and elected officials to take immediate action to protect consumers from excessive and unjustified fees.