HCWCID #156

Harris County Water Control and Improvement District #156

A Sub District of Clear Lake City Water Authority (CLCWA)

To request new water service:
Apply HERE

Questions regarding service or to report a problem:
Call CLCWA at (281) 488-1164

Questions about Water/Sewer bill:
Call CLCWA at (281)488-1164

Questions about Tax bill:
Call (713)932-9011 or visit http://www.bli-tax.com/

Questions about Tax Appraisal:
Call Harris County Appraisal District at (713)957-7800 https://www.hcad.org

For all other questions:
Call CLCWA at (281)488-1164 **They will have a board member contact you.**

HCWCID #156 has adopted CLCWA’s Returned Check Policy R&S-125.

Last Update: 02/27/20

Welcome to HCWCID #156

HCWCID #156 (referred to as DISTRICT), a sub-district of CLCWA, operates in accordance with Texas Revised Civil Statutes, Title 22, Article 717r. The DISTRICT’s formation and its responsibilities are established under an Exclusion Contract with CLCWA. DISTRICT owns the water, sanitary sewer and drainage infrastructure contained within its boundaries (see DISTRICT Map). Infrastructure for these services was purchased from Friendswood Development in 2001-2002 with funds obtained in two bond issues. Debt was refinanced in 2013 to take advantage of lower interest rates; debt at the beginning of current fiscal year is $1.78 million. Full retirement of debt is scheduled for FY ending August 2021 (see Debt Refunding Schedule).

DISTRICT provides water and sewer services for the 373 residences, one private sprinkler system and eight public areas maintained by Community Association; these services are purchased from CLCWA at rates that are 1.5 times the rates charged to CLCWA’s retail customers. Billing rates to DISTRICT customers is approximately 1.26 times CLCWA rates; the difference is made up with tax revenues. CLCWA also handles billing and payment processing and maintains the DISTRICT’s facilities on a reimbursable cost basis.

DISTRICT Policies & Management

As a sub-district, our policies are in close alignment with those of CLCWA. Additional information on water quality and conservation is discussed below. DISTRICT is managed by a 5-person board of directors. DISTRICT purchases water, sanitary sewer and billing services from CLCWA, has no employees, and relies on contractors and consultants to professionally handle the other operational requirements of the DISTRICT. For summaries of Budgets, Revenues and Expenditures, click here.

For FYE August 31, 2015 (audited)

Summaries for General and Debt Service Funds
Detailed Budget and Actual for General Fund
General Fund Expenditures
Service Connections and Annual Usage

For FYE August 31, 2016 (unaudited) with FYE August 31, 2017 Budget

Operating revenue and expenses for prior year (budget and actual) and budget for current year

Board meetings are nominally held the third Thursday of January, March, May, July, September, and November at 9:30 am and are open to the public. PLEASE NOTE THE NEXT BOARD MEETING WILL BE THURSDAY, APRIL 16, 2020 at 9:30 a.m. by teleconference: dial-in 1-866-203-7023; conference code 713-651-3613. A public hearing to set the tax rate for the following year is generally held in October.

Regular board meetings are held at the offices of Norton Rose Fulbright, and the public hearing is held in the Clear Lake area.

Special board meetings are held when there is time-critical business to address. Click here for the date/time, location and agenda for the next meeting of the board. Corresponding agenda items:

Minutes of these meetings are maintained, like all records of DISTRICT’s operations, at the law offices of:

Norton Rose Fulbright US L.L.P.
Fulbright Tower
1301 McKinney Street, Ste. 5100
Houston, TX 77010-3095

Brenda Presser
Email: brenda.presser@nortonrosefulbright.com
Phone: 713-651-5581

For more general information about the formation and operation of water districts, refer to:

Texas Water Districts: A General Guide

Taxation

The most significant operation, in addition to water/sanitary sewer/drainage services, is assessment and collection of taxes for amortization of the DISTRICT’s debt and to cover administrative costs.

Click here to view current and historical tax schedules. Our Tax Assessor Collector is:

Bob Leared R.T.A
11111 Katy Fwy, Ste. 725
Houston, TX 77079-2175

Elections

Elections for members of the Board of Directors are held in May of even-numbered years. The current election cycle is for two members in 2022 and three members in 2020.

Directors are elected for four-year terms. Election details, once they are established, will be posted at designated public sites, here, and in the Houston Chronicle.

Current Directors

Michael Terraso, President*
Beth Moore, Vice-President
Matt Chamberlain, Secretary
Peter Nagamani, Treasurer*
Tom Humphrey, Assistant-Secretary

***Current election information can be viewed here.***

***May 2020 Director’s Election – Notice of Deadline to File can be viewed here.***

Water Quality & Conservation

Water distributed to DISTRICT residences is supplied from CLCWA’s water distribution network. It is routinely tested both within DISTRICT and at other locations in CLCWA’s network. During the past year, all measurements of contaminants in the water supply were found to be below the maximum allowable levels established by the EPA.

Complete test results for the previous calendar year are presented in the Consumer Confidence Report, along with general information and recommendations for water conservation. Notification of the availability of the 2018 report was included in customers’ July water/sewer bill, and it can be viewed here.

Fortunately, the Gulf Coast Region, along with the rest of Texas has not experienced extended periods of little or no rainfall since 2011 and 2012. However, the region maintains preparedness and plans to respond to drought situations. Following is a brief review of that drought period.

June 17, 2011 – Stage 1, MILD Water Shortage Condition, voluntary restrictions
August 16, 2011 – Stage 2, SERIOUS Water Shortage Condition, mandatory restrictions
January 11, 2012 – NO-SHORTAGE condition, no restrictions.
HOWEVER, CLCWA encouraged all users to “continue voluntary water conservation and the new habits they developed over the summer and into the fall.”

In addition to lowering the water levels in reservoirs, drought conditions cause the ground to shift, leading to ruptures in water distribution lines. These factors lead the City of Houston to implement its Drought Contingency Plan. CLCWA’s Drought Contingency Plan and staging are substantially the same as the City of Houston’s.

DISTRICT’s Plan and staging are identical to CLCWA’s. Even during non-drought conditions, we encourage our residents to consider water conservation measures in their daily routines.

See DISTRICT’s Drought Contingency Plan for detailed information about the plan. In the event a Water Shortage Condition is announced, go to CLCWA’s homepage page for current water use restrictions.

In addition to stewardship of water and sanitary sewer services, DISTRICT is responsible for ensuring that storm water drainage will be at peak efficiency during storms. To assist DISTRICT, residents are requested to do their part by not illegally dumping landscaping debris or household materials into the storm sewer catch basins. Used oil may be recycled at CLCWA’s facility at 17507 El Camino Real. See the CCR referenced above for further information. All Harris County residents may dispose of their hazardous waste at the Westpark Consumer Recycle Center.

Click here for additional information and lists of acceptable and not-acceptable waste.

Water & Sewer Rate Schedules

Water and sewer rates have been in effect since December 2011 when rates were increased to cover CLCWA’s increase in its water and sewer rates to all of its customers, including DISTRICT. Click here for the current water and sewer service rates.

Bill payment

DISTRICT customers may pay their bi-monthly bills with an automatic bank draft. To enroll in this program, download an application and mail it to CLCWA along with a voided check.

Utility Usage History

Per the mandate of House Bill 3693, all political subdivisions that are responsible for paying electric, water or natural gas utility services must:

Record in an electronic repository the political subdivision’s metered amount of electricity, water or natural gas consumed; and the aggregate costs for those utility services.
Report the same information on a publicly accessible internet web site with an interface designed for ease of navigation.

DISTRICT’s only operating system is a wastewater lift station located in the Pine Brook subdivision.

The Electrical Usage History for that unit covering the previous two budget years satisfies the requirements of House Bill 3693.

City of Houston Storm Drainage Fee

***Applies ONLY to WCID #156 Houston BAY OAKS RESIDENTS***

DISTRICT’s infrastructure includes Storm Drainage:

For Bay Oaks residents, an area located in the City of Houston, street drainage is routed via underground storm sewer pipe connecting to CLCWA’s underground storm sewer system that provides storm drainage to the rest of Bay Oaks. Because we are providing infrastructure for the tie-in with CLCWA, we have taken the position that our Houston customers should not be subject to the City of Houston storm drainage fee. CLCWA has secured relief from these fees for its customers; however, attempts to secure relief from this unjust fee on residents in District have not been successful.
For Pine Brook residents, an area located in the City of Pasadena, street drainage is routed via underground storm sewer pipe to the drainage ditch on the northeast side of Middlebrook Drive. This drainage ditch empties into the Brookwood pond and then joins other surface drainage to the Galveston Bay via Mud Lake and Clear Lake.