EL PASO, Texas (KFOX14\/CBS4) \u2014 A proposed water rate increase for customers in far East El Paso County has been put on hold after county commissioners raised concerns about affordability and the long-term costs of operating the East Montana Water System.<\/p>\n
During a commissioners meeting held yesterday, commissioners voted to postpone a vote on the proposed increase following a presentation that county staff said included new information and answers that were not included in the public agenda backup before the meeting.<\/p>\n
RELATED: El Paso County commissioners weigh East Montana Water System rate hikes<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cI would agree with postponing it. I think there’s a lot of information that we just received that we didn’t have previously,\u201d said Commissioner Iliana Holguin, who represents East El Paso and the Lower Valley.<\/p>\n Holguin also said she was not comfortable with the proposed increases.<\/p>\n \u201cI don’t feel comfortable with the increases that are being proposed. I think the the the residents of El Paso County that can least afford these increases are the ones that are going to be paying for them,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n The East Montana Water System is owned by El Paso County, but El Paso Water provides treated water and handles much of the system\u2019s operation, maintenance and billing.<\/p>\n For customers who receive both water and sewer service, the proposal would raise the typical monthly bill from about $134 to $144.<\/p>\n County staff said rising El Paso Water charges, aging infrastructure and a proposed $6 million water tank are among the costs driving the request.<\/p>\n \u201cOur aging infrastructure has not been addressed for many years either,\u201d said Norma Palacios, executive director of public works for El Paso County. <\/p>\n \u201cIt’s not about adding bandaids anymore. It’s about major repairs to that tank.\u201d<\/p>\n Commissioners are expected to take up the item again in two weeks.<\/p>\n RELATED: El Paso County considers water, sewage rate hike amid budget deficit<\/a><\/p>\n