The New Braunfels, Texas, City Council in June voted for and approved New Braunfels Utilities rate adjustments for electric, water and wastewater services. Rate changes will take effect Aug. 1, 2025.
The approved vote marked the third and final step in the rate change approval process. The first step was completed May 29, 2025, by the NBU Board of Trustees. The first reading by City Council took place Monday, June 16, followed by the second and final reading on June 23.
“Our job is to make sure that when our customers need us – whether it’s a hot summer day or the middle of the night – their power, water and wastewater services work. We’re grateful to the members of City Council and the NBU Board of Trustees for their thoughtful review and to our Community Advisory Panel for shaping our priorities of reliability and affordability. These adjustments are not about today’s costs alone; they’re about making smart, community-driven investments that protect both our systems and the people who rely on them for decades to come,” said Ryan Kelso, CEO, New Braunfels Utilities.
The rate adjustments will increase the average residential monthly bill by:
• Approximately $16/month for a customer who receives all three services—electric, water and wastewater.
• Approximately $26/month for customers with all three services who also choose to irrigate their lawns or landscapes, leading to higher, discretionary water consumption.
Following best practices, NBU regularly reviews and adjusts rates. The rate adjustments reflect the findings of an independent study by Raftelis, a national utility consulting firm.
The study determined that adjustments are necessary for:
• Infrastructure Upgrades: $534.5 million is budgeted for 121 projects between Fiscal Year 2026 and Fiscal Year 2027 to maintain and improve reliability.
• Regulatory Compliance: Meeting increasing regulatory mandates for electric, water and wastewater which is not funded by the state or federal government.
• Inflation: Rising costs for materials and labor.
• Future Preparedness: Strategic investments to address future growth and extreme weather events.
Community voice as part of the process
NBU’s citizen-led Community Advisory Panel (CAP) helped identify priorities that represented the community.
Their feedback influenced how NBU rates are structured and ensured they are focused on the following key areas:
• Affordability & Fairness – Rates reflect the true costs of our utility services, unlike private utilities, which add in profit.
• Electric, Water and Wastewater System Reliability – Investments maintain and upgrade systems that bring dependable electricity and water to our customers.
• Resiliency – Preparing systems for growth and emergencies to continue providing dependable services.
