Fall Newsletter- 2026

MUD 18 Newsletter

October – December 2026

2026 Water and Sewer Rate Increase

As of September 1, 2026, our sewer rate increased by $2, going from $50 to $52 per month. Please remember that this fee also includes trash and recycling collection. Our base water rate of $15 remains the same, but the first tier above that increased $0.25 per 1,000 gallons from $1.50 to $1.75 per 1,000 gallons. All tiers above the first will remain the same.

As an example, under the new rate schedule if you used 4,000 gallons your cost would go from $65/month to $67/month. Usage of up to 10,000 gallons per month would go from $74 to $77.50/month, a $3.50 increase or 4.7%. For the year ending August 2026, the CPI for water, sewer and trash collection has gone up 4.8%. With the increased costs of natural gas and electricity, as well as other supplies and labor, the Board has found it necessary to increase rates to cover expenses. Even with the rate increase, however, compared to surrounding districts our rates and taxes are among the lowest in the area. We will continue to provide the quality of water and uninterrupted service that Bentwater has come to rely on.

2026 Tax Rate Reduction

The new MUD tax rate for 2026 is $0.16 per $100 of taxable valuation. This is a $0.01 decrease from the previous year. The 2026 average home taxable valuation in our district is $747,682, which is a 6.5% increase from last year’s average of $701,987. In 2025, the average tax bill was $1,193, while this year it will be approximately $1,196. Of the District’s $0.16 tax rate, $0.05 is levied for debt service and $0.11 is levied for maintenance and operations. The District’s currently outstanding bonds are scheduled to be paid off in approximately five years. Please note that this is an average, meaning some bills will be higher and some bills will be lower. Your actual District tax bill is based on the taxable value of your property as determined by the Montgomery Central Appraisal District.

It is the intention of the Board to collect only what is needed to meet its debt obligations and fund the District’s anticipated operating, maintenance, repair and capital needs. The Board’s five-year plan includes major capital expenditures to maintain and improve the District’s water wells, water and wastewater treatment facilities, and related infrastructure.

Chlorinator Issue in September

In early September there was an issue with the chlorinator at one of Bentwater’s two older Jasper wells. While one well was down for repairs, the chlorinator continued to run as though both wells were in service, which resulted in extra chlorine being pumped into the storage tank. Once the odor of chlorine was detected, Hays Utilities (the District’s operations and maintenance company) began flushing the system to remove the over-chlorinated water. Hays explained the situation in an email sent to customers who had signed up to receive emergency alerts. TCEQ was notified of the event and tested the water, determining it was within standards and was safe to use.

Needless to say, it took a few days of residents running their water to flush out the excess chlorine. To prevent a situation like this from happening again, the older models of chlorinators at our two Jasper wells have been replaced with updated units like those at our newer Catahoula wells.

This situation is a reminder of why it is important to be signed up for emergency alerts through the MUD website (https://www.mcmud18.com/). We only use this information for emergencies and do not provide it to anyone else.

Your MUD Board:
Susan McFarland – President
David Parkhill – Vice President
John Crystal – Treasurer
Rex Cambern – Secretary
Terry Gent – Assistant Secretary