Chisholm Trail and City of Georgetown Water Utilities Consolidate Assets
Updated, Sept. 17: The City of Georgetown and the Chisholm Trail Special Utility District completed a transfer agreement on Friday that moves toward a consolidation of the two water utilities. The liabilities and assets of the district have been transferred to the City of Georgetown, according to the agreement. Chisholm Trail employees are now City of Georgetown employees.
Chisholm Trail customers are now City of Georgetown water customers charged at the out-of-City rate, which is a base monthly charge of $27.50 for a standard residential customer. Along with the monthly base charge, Chisholm customers will notice a “transition” surcharge of $4.75 on their bills. This fee covers ongoing expenses associated with the Chisholm Trail board function and will be removed once the full consolidation occurs. The volumetric rate is $1.75 per thousand gallons for the first 10,000 gallons in the month. For complete water rates, go to our water rates page.
The new water rates for 7,633 customers of the Chisholm Trail district will be in effect for the next billing period and reflected on October bills. The Chisholm Trail district office at 851 Farm to Market 970 in Florence will continue to operate as a location for making payments, submitting utility service requests, and other customer service needs. Contact the district by phone at (254) 793-3103.
The Chisholm Trail district board remains the policy board for the district with the responsibility to provide water to customers in the Chisholm Trail service area. November board elections will occur as scheduled. The service area is called a CCN, which stands for “certificate of convenience and necessity” to serve in a geographic area. The service area or CCN transfer process is ongoing. The next step is a court hearing on October 27 at the State Office of Administration Hearings in Austin.
The Georgetown Utility Systems Advisory Board has been expanded to add two positions, each of which will be reserved for out-of-City members. The Chisholm Trail board will retain $500,000 for board operational expenses and liabilities.
The City and Chisholm Trail have been in discussion since 2011 about a possible merger of the two water utility systems. A feasibility study on the possible merger was conducted in 2012. A vote to consolidate was approved unanimously by the Chisholm Trail board in August 2013.
The City of Georgetown serves about 22,500 water accounts representing about 56,000 customers in a 70 square-mile service area that includes Georgetown and surrounding areas. Chisholm Trail SUD serves about 7,633 water accounts representing about 19,000 customers in a 377 square-mile service area that extends northwest from Georgetown into Bell and Burnet counties. Most Chisholm Trail customers are in or near the City of Georgetown extra-territorial jurisdiction, which includes unincorporated areas up to 3.5 miles beyond city limits.
