After months of complaints from customers facing water bills of hundreds — and sometimes more than $1,000 — a growing number of Texas lawmakers are pushing for answers from Aqua Texas.
State Rep. Tom Oliverson says the controversy could lead to changes in how water utilities set rates, recover infrastructure costs and charge customers for wastewater services.
The push follows KPRC 2’s reporting on residents who say their water bills have doubled or tripled, prompting customers across the Houston area and other parts of Texas to share their experiences with our newsroom.
Oliverson and other state representatives are asking the Public Utility Commission of Texas to take another look at Aqua Texas’s rates, including whether customers should receive refunds for charges that are ultimately found unjustified.
For residents, the stakes are immediate: how much they pay for an essential service — and whether they will get any of that money back.
Residents report water bills reaching hundreds of dollars
Liz, an Aqua Texas customer who has lived in her community for 15 years, says her recent bills have become difficult to manage.
“My bill last month was $720. Before that it was $830. Before that, it was 640 for the last three months,” Liz told KPRC 2.
She says the unpredictable increases make it difficult for families to plan their budgets, particularly those managing other expenses, including college costs and caring for older relatives.
“They would go from 200 to 400 to 800,” she said. “And so when you’re trying to figure out, especially things as you’ve got kids going to college, you have other expenses coming in.”
Liz says water is different from other household expenses because customers cannot simply cancel the service when prices rise.
“You can’t change how many times you flush a toilet. You can’t change how many times do you take a shower,” she said.
Aqua Texas customers across the state have contacted KPRC 2 after earlier reports, describing substantial increases and questioning whether their bills accurately reflect their water use.
What Rep. Tom Oliverson wants to change
Oliverson, who represents House District 130 in Harris County, says he does not believe the costs customers are paying are justified.
He has urged the Public Utility Commission to reject Aqua Texas’s rate filing and require the company to refund excessive charges.
“I am urging the Public Utility Commission to reject the proposed rate filing and furthermore to direct Aqua Texas to refund all of the excessive charges,” Oliverson said.
He also wants changes to the rules governing interim rates — temporary rates utilities can charge while regulators review a rate case.
“I want the PUC to do their job in terms of evaluating the applications for increases and determining whether they’re valid or invalid and making a final ruling,” he said.
Oliverson argues that customers should not have to pay higher rates before regulators finish determining whether the proposed charges are justified.
He also wants one-time infrastructure expenses separated from ongoing base rates, with a clear timeline for recovering those costs and removing the additional charge.
Another concern is wastewater billing. Oliverson says customers should not be charged for wastewater treatment on water that never enters the sewer system, such as water used to irrigate lawns.
The proposed changes have not been enacted into law. Oliverson says the issue will be a priority when the Legislature convenes in January.
Fair Water Texas challenges wastewater charges
Joe Jimenez of Fair Water Texas, a consumer advocacy organization involved in Aqua Texas’s rate case, says regulators should examine how the company calculates wastewater charges.
The concern centers on customers whose total metered water use includes outdoor irrigation, filling pools or other activities that do not send that water into the wastewater treatment system.
“Aqua Texas is charging for water that it’s not treating in their wastewater system,” Jimenez told KPRC 2.
Fair Water Texas has asked the Public Utility Commission to send the wastewater issues back for further examination, arguing that more information is needed to determine whether the charges are just and reasonable.
Jimenez says the issue extends beyond one neighborhood or one utility.
Investor-owned water companies have acquired smaller systems across Texas, he said, raising questions about how rates are calculated and whether customers are paying costs that reflect the services they receive.
Aqua Texas says wastewater is not separately metered and that the gallons listed on customer bills reflect water usage. The company’s response did not directly address whether customers are charged wastewater fees for outdoor water use that never enters the sewer system.
The wastewater dispute remains an issue for regulators to examine; no final finding that Aqua Texas improperly charged customers has been established by the information available for this report.
What Aqua Texas says about the rate increases
In a written response to KPRC 2, Aqua Texas said its interim rates, which took effect March 9, 2026, reflect infrastructure investments intended to improve system reliability, water quality and service.
The company said it invested nearly $700 million in infrastructure between 2004 and 2024 and described the rate change as its first statewide base-rate change in 20 years.
Aqua Texas also said its tiered rate structure is designed to encourage efficient water use as Texas faces growing pressure on water supplies and more frequent severe drought conditions.
“The interim rates that took effect on March 9, 2026, reflect infrastructure investments made to improve system reliability, water quality and service across Texas,” the company said.
Aqua Texas added that its interim rates are subject to refunds once the Public Utility Commission issues a final order.
The company said it is providing lawmakers with information about its rate case and infrastructure investments.
The rate case remains under review. The company’s claims about its investments and the purpose of its rates are part of the dispute over whether the charges are justified.
Residents want refunds and lasting protections
For Liz and other customers, the outcome is about more than future rate changes. They also want relief for money they have already paid and, in some cases, expenses they say they incurred to try to reduce their bills.
Liz says residents have gathered billing records and worked together to bring their concerns to lawmakers and regulators.
“And so to have things move in this direction is just a godsend, honestly,” she said. “But it is the work of the community.”
She says the involvement of state representatives has given residents hope that their complaints will receive closer attention.
Residents want regulators to review the current rates, determine whether refunds are owed and make the billing process more transparent. They also want stronger rules to prevent sudden increases from placing households in the same position again.
Oliverson says he does not yet have a specific timeline for a decision from the Public Utility Commission. He expects lawmakers to consider legislation when the next session begins in January.
What happens next?
The Public Utility Commission must still issue a final decision on Aqua Texas’s rate case. Under the current interim-rate arrangement, customers could receive refunds or credits if the commission’s final order requires rates to be reduced.
Lawmakers are also considering whether changes to state law are needed to strengthen oversight of utility rate increases, infrastructure spending and wastewater billing.
For now, customers continue to pay the interim rates while the regulatory process moves forward.
KPRC 2 will continue following the rate case, the lawmakers’ efforts and questions about whether Aqua Texas customers could receive relief.
Have your Aqua Texas water bills increased? Share your experience and billing records with the KPRC 2 News team as we continue investigating.
