Rosenberg water bills could rise $10 monthly to create reservoir to keep water flowing

ROSENBERG, Texas (KTRK) -- Rosenberg water bills could soon rise $120 more a year, but its main supplier says it beats the alternative of not having water at all.

A cool splash is exactly what some neighbors need right now.

"It's nice and cold," Rachele Fojtik said. "It feels good, especially with the heat. It doesn't bother you for a few minutes."

The water is a substance that could be in trouble.

"That would be frustrating, especially with the heat," Fojtik said. "It would make like a hell of a lot miserable more."

Rosenberg gets nearly half of its water from the Brazosport Water Authority. The agency wants to build a massive reservoir.

This way it could store water. If it's not built, in severe weather cases, the water authority could be without water for six months.

Rosenberg city leaders say this doesn't mean neighbors in their community won't have water for all that time because they would look to other areas for their supply.

However, BWA officials told the city council last week water issues could be possible like other neighboring cities have recently faced.

"Nobody had running water, so you couldn't take a shower," BWA general manager Ronnie Woodruff said. "You couldn't flush the toilet. The cost of not having water is quite expensive."

The project would be $650 million, and the majority would be funded by a company that would also use the reservoir, and the rest would be public. City leaders explained that the average water bill would increase by $10 monthly for eight years.

Four dollars would come from a recent rate increase, and the other $6 would be for the reservoir project.

"We need water," a Rosenberg resident, Linda Wilkinson, said. "We can cut back on electricity, but we need water."

Neighbors know they need water not only for everyday use but as a way to beat the heat as well.

"I'd rather have a higher water bill than no water at all because, with no water at all, we aren't able to cook or take baths and enjoy everyday life," Fojtik said.

Rosenberg is already facing a water issue. The city told ABC13 that with the current high temps and lack of rainfall, the city may soon enter a water conservation plan soon.

A reservoir city leaders said would help with this not only in the short term but 50 years from now.

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