A proposed sale of HILCO H2O water systems to CSWR-Texas Utility Operating Co. LLC is drawing opposition from local residents concerned about potential water rate increases and the future of service in portions of Hill and Bosque counties.
The sale is pending before the Public Utility Commission of Texas under Docket No. 59426. A legal notice recently published outlined the proposed transfer of water facilities and customers, along with changes to utility service-area boundaries.
HILCO says that the sale of its remaining H2O water systems is intended to provide customers with access to additional resources for system improvements while allowing the cooperative to focus on its core operations.
However, local organizers are urging affected customers to formally protest the proposed transaction, citing concerns about the potential financial impact and CSWR’s record in other communities.
A billing comparison included in the legal notice shows substantial differences between existing rates and the proposed CSWR-Texas rates.
For a standard 5/8-inch meter, the notice estimates a monthly bill of $45.43 for 5,000 gallons of water under existing rates, compared with $114.45 under the proposed rates.
For 10,000 gallons, the comparison lists an increase from $60.98 to $157.65 per month.
Those figures represent increases of approximately 152% and 159%, respectively.
The application identifies 12 requested areas encompassing approximately 4,141 customer connections and 11,688.5 acres.
The proposed transfer involves designated portions of rural areas around Whitney and other locations in Hill and Bosque counties.
The potential increases have prompted concerns about affordability, particularly for households on fixed incomes and families managing rising living expenses.
Organizers Angie Albright and Amy Anderson said that residents should review the application and submit individual protests through the PUC’s regulatory process rather than relying solely on a general community petition.
“People see these notices and think they can just sign a quick petition and it’ll go away, but state rules don’t work that way,” said Albright. “If we don’t officially block this sale right now at the state level, the corporate takeover goes through, and we lose our best chance to protect our community’s wallets.”
The organizers have established a goal of collecting at least 400 individual protests.
“Our neighbors on fixed incomes, local families and hardworking folks around the lake simply cannot absorb a 150% spike in their water bills,” said Anderson. “We have to hit our goal of 400 formal protests to force the commission to listen. Your signature is your voice—use it now before it’s too late.”
In a statement posted on its website, HILCO said that increasingly complex state regulations have made operating the water systems more costly and time-consuming.
The cooperative said that the demands have diverted attention from its core operations and that a larger, specialized water utility would have the resources needed to make essential system improvements.
HILCO described CSWR as an established water utility provider and pointed to its acquisition and transition of the Lakeview, Chambers Meadow and LWWC wastewater systems.
The cooperative said that it believes the transition will provide a more sustainable future for its water customers and electric cooperative members.
HILCO said that a final closing date has not been set, but it anticipates the transition could be completed within one to two years.
Regarding the proposed rates, HILCO emphasized that it has no control over or influence on the rates proposed by CSWR.
Information from HILCO can be found at hilcounitedservices.com/h2o.
Albright and Anderson encouraged the public to visit https://tinyurl.com/WaterRateHIKE for more information about their organizing efforts.
