The Friendswood City Council approved a controversial utility rate increase Tuesday night in a split vote, with city officials arguing the adjustment is crucial for maintaining infrastructure while some council members warned about the impact on residents.
The rate adjustment, stemming from a $117,000 utility study, aims to fund approximately $40 million in capital improvement projects over the next five years. The measure passed despite strong opposition from Councilman Robert Griffon, who argued the increases could backfire by forcing residents to reduce water usage.
“Once you raise prices so high, people will stop using your water,” Griffon said. “At some point you escalate the cost so much they can’t afford the water.”
City Manager Morad Kabiri explained that Friendswood’s higher rates compared to neighboring communities stem from fundamental differences in water sources. The city relies on surface water, which requires more extensive treatment than groundwater systems used by cities like Katy.
“Surface water requires far more treatment and costs two to one the price of groundwater,” Kabiri said.
The rate study revealed Friendswood’s wastewater rates are higher than the state average, at $49.41 compared to approximately $38 for most comparable cities. Kabiri attributed this to aging infrastructure and regional partnerships.
“Our sanitary sewer infrastructure was far older than others because they’re brand new systems,” Kabiri said, noting Friendswood’s infrastructure in Forest Bend dates to the 1970s and 1980s.
The city maintains contracts with both the City of Houston for water service and the Gulf Coast Authority for wastewater treatment, limiting alternative options. Kabiri noted that securing independent water rights would be virtually impossible, as they’ve “been spoken for for 30 years.”
The approved rate structure is designed to encourage conservation, with higher rates for increased usage. City officials noted that approximately 80% of users consume around 10,000 gallons of water monthly.
