Bethany SUD rate hike catches Johnson County water customers off guard

Customers of the Bethany Special Utility District, which serves rural parts of Johnson County including areas near Alvarado, will see higher water bills starting with their September 2026 statements. The monthly minimum service charge is going up from $43 to $55, and usage rates are rising by as much as $4.50 per 1,000 gallons depending on how much water a household uses, according to NBC DFW. Some customers say they learned about the increase only when a notice arrived in the mail, with no advance warning that the elected board was considering it. The board approved the hike at its May meeting. A follow-up meeting scheduled for late August was postponed after the agenda was posted only on a sheet of paper outside the district's Alvarado office rather than online. Board President David Woodard told NBC DFW the rate increase was driven by higher electricity, labor, and materials costs across a system with roughly 1,400 customers. He acknowledged the district needs to do a better job communicating with those customers. Customers who cannot afford the new rates can call Bethany SUD to ask about assistance, but must provide proof they qualify for government aid. Under state law, customers have 90 days to appeal the rates to the Public Utility Commission of Texas if at least 10 percent of affected customers join the challenge.