Why does it seem like my water bill is still pretty high?

The average residential water bill in Wichita Falls (water only, not trash, stormwater fee, etc.) is currently between$28 $46 per month. This maintains three lakes that supply our water, several pump stations and pipelines to move lake water to the City's two treatment plants, the actual treatment of the water to state and federal standards, the maintenance of hundreds of miles of distribution system pipeline and for the meter reading and billing to 35,000 customers. According to JD Power and Associates, the average monthly cell phone bill for an individual (in 2012) was $71. They further reported that their total cell phone bill could easily top $200/month for a family of four with smartphones. According to Consumer Reports, the average monthly Cable TV bill in 2014 was more than $120. Natural gas and electricity prices also tend to be higher than a monthly water bill. Compared to these other standard fees, water is one of the most economical products we use.

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1. How does the long term reuse project work?
2. Did the City try cloud seeding?
3. Why can’t you just cut the budget to make up the difference and not raise rates?
4. So, why can’t the City cut fixed costs?
5. What are some of the main reasons water rates have gone up?
6. Are you going to do anything to minimize the impact to water users?
7. Why does this seem to only be happening in Wichita Falls?
8. Why does it seem like my water bill is still pretty high?
9. How do I read my water bill?
10. What is a CCF?
11. Why doesn’t the City use gallons instead of units?
12. Did the City wait too long to start looking for more water?
13. Is the City still looking at building Lake Ringgold?
14. Missed Opportunity to Dredge Lake Wichita
15. Why doesn’t the City use Lake Wichita as a water source?
16. What is the current cost to dredge Lake Wichita to make it a viable water source?
17. Why isn’t the City using its own heavy equipment on Lake Wichita right now while it’s low?
18. How much water does Castaway Cove use?
19. Why are the fines for water violations so much and who gets all the money?
20. What is the Water Resources Commission and what do they do?
21. I thought the City Council was making all water restriction decisions?
22. Why did this water shortage happen?
23. What is a Drought Plan?