Utility Rates & Fees

Monthly residential rates, FY 2027

Service	Charge
Water base charge (includes the first 2,000 gallons)	$24.69
Water, 2,001 – 10,000 gallons	$5.10 per 1,000 gallons
Water, over 10,000 gallons	$6.40 per 1,000 gallons
Sewer base charge	$21.00
Sewer volume charge	$3.90 per 1,000 gallons of your winter average
Residential trash and recycling	$18.50
Tower Maintenance Surcharge	$1.25

Water use is billed to the nearest 100 gallons. Residential water, sewer and trash service is not subject to sales tax.

Sample residential bill

A household that used 5,000 gallons this month and has a winter average of 4,000 gallons:

Line	Calculation	Amount
Water base charge	Includes 2,000 gallons	$24.69
Water volume	3,000 gallons × $5.10	$15.30
Sewer base charge		$21.00
Sewer volume	4,000 gallons × $3.90	$15.60
Trash and recycling		$18.50
Tower Maintenance Surcharge		$1.25
Total		$96.34

Winter averaging

Your sewer volume charge is based on how much water you use in winter, when almost all of it goes down the drain instead of onto the lawn.

• Your winter average is the average water use on your December, January and February bills.
• The new average takes effect on your April bill and stays the same through the following March.
• If you don’t have a full winter of history at your address, you are billed on the residential system average of 4,000 gallons or your actual water use, whichever is less.
• If a leak raised your winter use, bring a repair receipt dated within 30 days of the leak to City Hall and the average will be recalculated.

Tower Maintenance Surcharge

City Council created the Tower Maintenance Surcharge in 2019. Every water account pays $1.25 a month. The money is held in a separate fund and spent only on the Dongvile Water Tower, the 500,000-gallon elevated tank at Chili Dog St & W 2nd St.

The fund pays for:

• The annual structural and sanitary inspection required by TCEQ
• Cathodic protection and coating repairs inside the tank
• The repainting reserve

The repainting reserve will be spent when City Council selects a color. Paint color is the first item of business on every regular City Council agenda. The reserve balance was $398,470 on October 1, 2026.

The surcharge ends 90 days after the tower is repainted. A 2022 motion to end it sooner was referred to the Water Tower Paint Ad Hoc Committee, which has not yet reported.

View the Dongvile Water Tower on the map

Fees

Fee	Amount
Service deposit, residential	$75
Service deposit, commercial	Twice the estimated average monthly bill, $150 minimum
Transfer of service to a new Dongvile address	$15
Same-day connection (requested by 2:00 p.m.)	$25
Late fee	10% of the past-due balance
Reconnection after disconnection for nonpayment, business hours	$50
Reconnection, after hours, weekends or holidays	$100
Returned check or declined payment	$30 (Tex. Bus. & Com. Code §3.506)
Meter test at customer request	$40, refunded if the meter registers more than 1.5% fast
Meter tampering or unauthorized turn-on	$250, plus estimated water use
Additional trash cart	$9.25 per month
Replacement for a lost or removed cart	$68
Fire hydrant meter deposit (construction water)	$1,500, refundable
Fire hydrant meter setup	$50
Fire hydrant meter rental	$5 per day
Water through a hydrant meter	$6.40 per 1,000 gallons

Meter tests are performed at the Public Works Service Center within 10 business days of your request. You may watch.

Billing calendar

Step	When
Meters read	10th – 14th of the month
Bills mailed	Last business day of the month
Payment due	20th of the following month, or the next business day
Late fee added	The day after the due date
Disconnect notice mailed	25th of the month
Disconnection for nonpayment	On or after the 8th of the next month

Disconnections are not made on Fridays, weekends, holidays or the day before a holiday, or when the National Weather Service forecasts a low of 32°F or below or a high of 100°F or above for Brisket County.

Commercial and outside-city customers

Commercial accounts pay the same water and sewer rates as residential accounts. Commercial trash service is priced by container size and pickup frequency; call Public Works at (936) 555-0103 for a quote. Commercial trash service is subject to 8.25% sales tax.

Water customers outside the city limits pay 150% of the inside-city water rates. The City does not provide sewer or trash service outside the city limits.

Frequently asked questions

Why does my sewer charge stay the same when I water the lawn?

Because it is based on your winter average, not this month’s use. Water used outdoors doesn’t reach the sewer, so you aren’t charged to treat it.

I think my meter is wrong. What should I do?

Call Utility Billing at (936) 555-0101 and ask for a free re-read. If the re-read confirms the reading, you can request a meter test for $40. The fee is refunded if the meter registers more than 1.5% fast.

Last updated October 1, 2026