Texarkana grapples with billing outcry amid AMI rollout and $490m plant planning

Texarkana grapples with billing outcry amid AMI rollout and $490m plant planningResidents flooded a city council meeting to protest billing spikes linked to new smart meters and fees for a planned regional treatment facility, highlighting the friction of modernizing aging utility infrastructure.

Residents alleged inaccurate readings from new smart meters, though the real-time customer portal is not yet active.

City Manager David Orr confirmed fees are funding a projected $490 million regional raw water plant led by Riverbend Water Resources.

The new plant is required because the current intake at Lake Wright Patman has silted in, necessitating a move to a deeper location.

Council approved a $500,000 contract with Plummer Associates to model and master plan the city's combined sewer system.

The Texarkana City Council faced a barrage of complaints from residents and business owners during its January 12 meeting regarding sudden spikes in water and sewer billing, highlighting the friction associated with the dual pressures of financing major capital upgrades and implementing Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI). Numerous speakers addressed the council, alleging that recently installed "smart meters" were generating erroneous usage data. Residents cited specific instances of billing for thousands of gallons of usage during overnight hours or at vacant properties. City Manager David Orr acknowledged that the city is currently replacing its "antiquated system" with new meters but noted that the associated online customer portal—which would allow users to track real-time usage and set leak alerts—is not yet operational. Beyond the metering dispute, the outcry underscored the financial impact of the region's long-term water supply planning. Orr explained that a significant portion of customer bills now includes a "Riverbend plant fee." This charge is accumulating funds for a projected $490 million regional raw water production facility and intake system at Lake Wright Patman, led by Riverbend Water Resources. Orr detailed that the new infrastructure is necessary because the existing intake near a former International Paper mill has "silted in considerably," compromising its effectiveness. The new intake will be located in a deeper section of the lake near Maud, Texas, connected by transmission lines to a new treatment plant at the TexAmericas Center. This centralized location is intended to serve Texarkana and neighboring municipalities such as New Boston, Hooks, and DeKalb. During the public comment period, a resident noted that the Riverbend fee recently increased from $3.50 to $5.16 per 1,000 gallons. Orr confirmed that agreements for the project were signed in 2020 and that the project is currently in the design phase, with construction bids not yet awarded. Separately, the council moved forward with wastewater planning, approving a resolution authorizing the City Manager to execute a contract with Plummer Associates, Inc. for engineering services. The firm holds a strong track record in Texas wastewater infrastructure, having previously led master planning and conveyance projects for the Trinity River Authority and the City of Sherman. The new $500,000 contract, of which the Texas side’s share is capped at $304,150, covers the development of a computerized model and master plan for the combined sewer collection system serving both Texarkana, Texas, and Texarkana, Arkansas.