Page 262 - City of Fort Worth Budget Book

Enterprise Funds Water and Sewer

The Customer Care Division performs metering services as well as billing and collection functions for water,
sewer, reclaimed water, stormwater, environmental, and solid waste services for wholesale and retail customers. It
also processes orders for new services, collects delinquent payments and investigates complaints. The division
also manages programs to encourage efficient water use, provides educational programming to the public, and is
responsible for internal and external communications. In addition, the division provides backflow prevention
services as well as industrial pretreatment by permitting and monitoring businesses and industries that produce a
high level of concentrated waste to reduce the impact to the sewer system. The division also coordinates
development activities for the Utility with the Development Services Department.

The Management Services Division develops and monitors operating budgets and capital improvement programs,
determines rates, and coordinates all fiscal and administrative functions for the Utility, including procurement
activities and capital improvement project accounting. The division also provides capital project support,
organizational development, information technology services, environmental health and safety program
administration, security and emergency planning, records management and workforce development.

The Strategic Operations Division is responsible for developing a master plan for all water and sewer capital
projects. This division provides infrastructure and facility planning, asset management, technical support, and
SCADA systems management for the Utility. The regulatory affairs section serves as the departmental liaison on
all intergovernmental and regulatory issues related to water and sewer services. The laboratory section provides
water and sewer sampling and laboratory analysis.

The Capital Delivery Division is responsible for engineering and construction of facilities and pipeline projects
including water and sewer mains, new development infrastructure, treatment facilities, storage tanks, pump
stations, and lift stations. The division provides in-house design, construction inspection services and coordination
of projects with the City’s street bond program.

The Plant Operations Division treats and distributes a safe water supply to meet customer needs and operates
five water treatment plants and various water storage and pumping facilities located throughout the city. It is
responsible for the metering of all the wholesale customer cities’ water and sewer services. The division also
provides wastewater treatment services for Fort Worth and its customer cities through a regional water
reclamation facility. Furthermore, this facility dewaters and treats Class A and AB biosolids for beneficial re-use.
The facility produces biogas in its onsite digesters for RIN credit to a third party, who provide a monthly royalty
payment to Fort Worth. The water reclamation facility generates a high percentage of its energy using natural gas
turbines.

The Field Operations Division is responsible for the maintenance and repair of close to 8,000 miles of water
distribution and sewer collection system pipelines. The division handles main break and leak repairs, line location
services, sewer overflows, inspection and cleaning of sewer lines, water and sewer taps, and fire hydrant and
valve maintenance.

FY2025 DISCUSSION AND SIGNIFICANT CHANGES
The Recommended Budget:

• The increase in budget from FY 2024 is achieved via revenue increases by system-wide adjustments of
3.27% and 2.25% enacted in the water and sewer rates, respectively.

• Increases by $288,990 for three authorized positions (APs) including a chemist and two environmental
technicians to assist with maintaining compliance with existing PFAS regulations and position the utility to
meet future PFAS regulations required by the EPA and TPDES permits.

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