Magnolia residents raise concerns about exorbitant water bills, quality

Magnolia residents raise concerns about water

Hundreds of homeowners in Magnolia are questioning their high water bills and the quality of the water they are getting for those prices.

MAGNOLIA - Hundreds of homeowners in Magnolia are questioning their high water bills and the quality of the water they are getting for those prices.

Durango Creek water concerns

Some residents in the Durango Creek subdivision say they are paying $200 to $300 for water every month. 

Residents in Durango Creek have set up a Facebook page titled New Magnolia 77354 vs. Texas Water Utilities. The group has more than 200 members with concerns about their bills.

One homeowner reviewed more than two dozen water bills that had winter increases.

What they're saying:

"When you have people that are retired and on a budget, how are we going to pay all these bills?" said Kovilska Stankovi.

"I think it is outrageous, especially for the quality," said Ken Della. "We don't take baths, we take showers, and we buy shower heads that have filters built into them because we don't trust the water."

The Hickman family says they left their house empty for three months, but their usage did not reflect that.

 "If I'm using water, then yeah, I need to pay my fair share, but if I'm not then why am I paying these exorbitant fees?" said Leighton Hickman.

The other side:

Texas Water Utilities responded to FOX 26's questions on Monday.

They say the water and wastewater systems were in need of upgrades to support reliable water service.

You can read Texas Water Utilities' full statement below:

Texas Water Utilities (TWU) acquired the Woodland Oaks district in November 2023. The water and wastewater systems were in need of upgrades to support reliable service. Since taking ownership, TWU has completed a number of wastewater system upgrade projects including replacing the effluent pumps, multiple lift station pumps, and valves as well as correcting electrical issues and addressing water treatment to continue meeting drinking water standards.

 When our team is making upgrades and addressing planned projects, we communicate with customers via our customer notification system. At times, unpredicted maintenance may arise due to a main break or other occurrence. In both these types of instances, we communicate as quickly as possible with customers to keep them informed. We encourage customers to sign up for alerts via My Account and to keep their contact information up to date so we can reach them. Local alerts are also posted on our website.

 If our customers experience any customer service needs, they are encouraged to reach out to us at 866-654-7992.