Dear Neighbor,
Effective with your November water bill, you will see an increase reflecting the new Water Rate Order which became effective October 21, 2025.
Windfern Forest Utility District, along with many other municipal water districts, are required to reduce their groundwater withdrawals to comply with the Subsidence District established in 1975 for Harris and Galveston County. This is to address major land sinking due to water being pumped from the ground and not being replenished fast enough from the aquifers. More information regarding this regulation is on our website under Addressing Subsidence.
Windfern Forest UD has been under a purchase schedule with the City of Houston (COH) since January of 2010. The conversion to the COH water has been increased annually and will eventually represent an 80% conversion by January of 2030. Also, the COH annually raises the cost of water to us at around 6% per 1,000 gallons.
This increase represents our current conversion rate with the COH. Please be aware that going forward to 2030, we will need to increase the water rates to accommodate the annual increase in our conversion rate, and the annual increase to the cost of water from the COH.
We have been fortunate over the years to rely solely on our well water, which is cost effective to produce and to deliver. Unfortunately, we will not have that luxury going forward, as we will be down to 20% well water by 2030 to comply with the Subsidence District regulations.
As always, remember that water is a natural resource that we do not want to be without. Please conserve as best you can.
Thank You,
The Windfern Forest UD Board of Directors