Notice: Waco residents and businesses are required to follow a 3-day watering schedule all year.
In This Section
Call (254) 299-CITY (2489) to open a utilities account. Have your Social Security Number handy. Residential Security Deposits are based on previous account history and credit history. They can range from $75 to $300. A $50 service fee and $12.50 solid waste administration fee will also be added to a new residential service bill.
Give us a call at (254) 299-CITY (2489) to transfer your service. There will be a $50 service charge on the first bill at the new address. Your deposits will transfer. Any outstanding balances will also transfer.
Care & Share
We work with Caritas in a program called Care & Share. Residents can contribute funds and residents in need can receive funds to help with utility bill payments.
To contribute funds to the Care & Share program: call (254) 299-CITY (2489)
To get more information about receiving funds from the Care & Share program: contact Caritas (254) 753-4593
Utility Help
Customers who meet income requirements can apply for assistance at TexasUtilityHelp.com. Call (855) 566-2057 or visit TexasUtilityHelp.com to see if you qualify. This assistance can be used for existing balances and future bills.
Reading your water meter accurately is priority. Our readers use Automated Metering Infrastructure (AMI) to read over 40,000 meters. Automated metering systems are comprised of state-of-the-art digital hardware and software. They combine interval data measurement with continuously available remote communications. This enables detailed, time-based measurement, collection and transmission of information. A comparison report shows any reads that are too high or too low (Hi-Lo Report). Items in that report get checked again to ensure accuracy before billing.
The meter shows the total number of gallons of water recorded since installation. The meter reader discards the last two numbers (the ones with the black background) to measure usage. Figure out your month's usage by subtracting last month's number from the current number. Click here for more help reading your meter.(PDF, 535KB)
To figure out where the leak is in your house turn off different fixtures and check to see if the meter is still running. Check toilets, hot water tanks, basins and sinks. If you cannot locate a fixture leak, the leak could be under the house.
There is a simple dye test to see if a toilet is running. This test shows whether the flapper is seated correctly. Use red, green or blue food coloring or flavored drink mix. If you use cleaning tablets in your commode tank, remove them and flush the water clear. Take the lid off the back of the toilet. Put the coloring in the back of the tank, but don't flush the toilet. Let it sit several hours. If color shows up in the toilet bowl, the flapper seals in the toilet are not seating properly. A worn flapper is the most common cause. Get an inexpensive replacement to fix the problem. If you have to jiggle the handle to make your toilet stop running, a handle or flapper replacement might fix it. If you suspect you have a leak, contact a plumber or your landlord.
Backflow is an unwanted flow of water in the reverse direction. It can cause health risks by contaminating our potable water. What can stop this from happening? A backflow preventer, or sometimes called a reduced pressure zone (RPZ) device.
Please call (254) 750-8019 with questions concerning our backflow program.
If you have a stop-up, call (254) 299-CITY (2489) and report it.
Hydrant flushing can prevent highly chlorinated water from entering the rest of the system after a leak or repair. The hydrants are also flushed to maintain the correct level of disinfectant in the water. Disinfectants degrade over time and need testing and adjustments to keep water safe. Heat actually makes this happen faster, so flushing is especially important during the summer.
The Waco City Council approved the fee in November 2020 with the creation of the Drainage Utility. Implementation was delayed until October 1, 2021.
A dedicated fee (cannot be spent elsewhere) that creates a revenue source for maintaining and improving the storm drain system and other stormwater program activities. State laws have allowed peer cities to implement this fee for a number of years.
Citizens pay proportional costs based on burden placed on storm drain systems. Stormwater burden is caused by increased run-off generated from impervious surface; the fee is based on the amount of impervious surface on the property owned.
A hard surface area, including sidewalk, driveways and rooftops, that either prevents or slows the entry of water into the soil causing water runoff to increase in flow and volume.
The fee is included on the City’s monthly water bill. If you do not receive a water bill from the City, a drainage only account will be created.
The fee is included on your water bill; if you refuse to pay for this line item, your account will be considered past due and will be subject to disconnection where additional fees will apply.
To create a dedicated funding source to replace and maintain a $766 million system, some parts are over 100 years old. Maintenance will include piping, inlets, culverts, etc. and street sweeping, culvert cleaning. Also used to address areas with flooding concerns and fund compliance with State and Federal watershed permits.
To appeal, please fill out the appeal form and submit to the Watershed Protection customer service. During this process, you will still be required to pay.
Data comes from McLennan County Appraisal District, aerial imagery and building permits.
Certain properties are exempt by State Law of City Ordinance. Exempt properties are:
Yes, non-residential customers may receive credits for certain volunteer service or installing additional stormwater controls. Contact Drainage Utility at drainagefee@wacotx.gov for more information.
Single family residences will pay $2 each month.
The proposed street maintenance fee is included in the City Manager’s Recommended Budget for FY 2024-25 which starts on October 1, 2024. If the Budget and related ordinances are approved by the City Council on August 27, 2024, the fee will take effect on October 1, 2024.
The Street Maintenance Fee is a separate fee supporting maintenance of Waco streets, bridges and traffic signals. Funds collected will pay for materials, engineering and staff to maintain transportation systems.
For single family residential property, the fee is $2 per month. Non-residential property is billed based on its equivalency to the amount of traffic generated by a home. To calculate this equivalency, traffic data from the Institute of Transportation Engineers is utilized. This data includes traffic generated by the land use on the property taking into account trip generation, pass by rates, and trip length.
Customers can see how the fee is calculated on the Street Maintenance Fee Index(PDF, 114KB).
The fee will appear on your Waco water bill. You will pay the fee along with your other Waco utilities charges.
Failure to pay the Street Maintenance Fee could result in discontinuance of utility services. Delinquent customers may be subject to a lien placed on their properties.
If you believe your proposed fee is incorrect, please complete and submit the Street Maintenance Fee Appeal Form, or contact the Public Works Department at streetfee@wacotx.gov or (254) 750-7009.
Residential only: If no vehicle is registered at the service address, you can file for an exemption.
The exemption form must be notarized. Call (254) 750-7009 to make an appointment with a notary.
Non-residential:
Go to the Waco Street Maintenance interactive map.
Use your mouse or the + button to zoom in on your property. Once found, use your mouse to click on the property. A window will open showing the data used to calculate the street fee for the property. Use the slider bar at right to get to the bottom of the window. The proposed monthly fee is at the bottom of the window.