To Apply For Water Service
Landowners in our service area wishing to apply for service will be seen between 8:00 - 11:00 am and 1:00 - 4:00 pm.
It is recommended however, not required, that applicants for new service contact our Main Office to make an appointment.
You may call us directly or use our contact us form to schedule an appointment. A Customer Service Agent will assist you in completing all the necessary documents.
This consists of a Water Service Application & Agreement, an Easement Agreement, and/or a Membership Transfer Agreement. You must provide proof of ownership, that is, a Warranty Deed, Warranty Deed with Vendor's Lien, etc., that shows fee simple title and all persons listed as owners and their spouse must sign all documents. East Rio Hondo Water Supply Corporation (ERHWSC) will conduct an initial Service Investigation ($100.00) to determine what fees must be paid. All Non-Standard Service requests shall be subject to a Non-Standard Service Investigation Fee (minimum $300.00), appropriate to each project, of sufficient amount to cover all administrative, legal, and engineering fees associated with investigation of the Corporation's ability to deliver service to the Applicant. In some cases the landowner may be in a subdivision for which the developer has paid all fees up front, therefore no fees will be necessary. If the property is not in a subdivision where fees have been paid, once the investigation has been completed, our Customer Service Agent will call or notify the applicant(s) by mail to inform him/her of the cost (See Meter Costs). The $100.00 Investigation Fee will be deducted from the total cost of meter service if full payment or payment arrangements are made within 30 days of the investigation cost letter. Once all necessary documents have been executed, all fees have been paid, and a permit from Cameron County is submitted to ERHWSC, a work order will be generated for the meter to be installed at a reasonable time. In order for an account to stay active, the new member must pay the minimum amount due every month.
If the new service request is a transfer of an existing account, the previous owner (Seller) and the new owner (Buyer) must complete a Membership Transfer Authorization form and the new owner will pay a $75.00 transfer fee. A final bill will be determined and sent to the previous owner. Proof of ownership, Water Service Application & Agreement, a Right of Way Easement, and payment of the $75.00 transfer fee are required before the account can be transferred to the new owner.
Developers/Subdividers must submit a completed Subdivision Application.
PLEASE CALL EAST RIO HONDO WATER SUPPLY CORPORATION (ERHWSC) MAIN OFFICE AT (956) 748-3633 OR CALL THE CUSTOMER SERVICE AGENT DIRECTLY AT (956)247-7813 MONDAY-FRIDAY 8:00 A.M.–5:00 P.M.
Meter Service Fees Summary Sheet
STANDARD SERVICE:
Standard Service is defined as service on an existing pipeline where pipeline or service facility extensions are not required and special design and/or engineering considerations are not necessary. Typically, this would include 5/8" X 3/4" sized water meter services set on existing pipelines or 4" gravity sewer taps, and a pipeline with sufficient capacity for residential service (5/8X3/4) on the same side of road where property for requested service is located.
WATER ONLY FEES INCLUDE (WHERE A TAP EXISTS):
- Membership $250.00
- Installation Fee (includes CSI) $535.00
- Impact Fee $1,600.00
- Water Rights Fee $1,901.94
TOTAL $4,286.94
WATER FEES INCLUDE (WHERE A TAP DOES NOT EXIST):
- Membership $250.00
- Installation Fee (includes CSI) $1,250.00
- Impact Fee $1,600.00
- Water Rights Fee $1,901.94
TOTAL $5,001.94
WATER & ERHWSC WASTEWATER FEES INCLUDE (WHERE A TAP EXISTS):
- Membership $400.00
- Installation Fee (includes CSI) $535.00
- Impact Fee $1,600.00
- Water Rights Fee $1,901.94
TOTAL $4,436.94
WATER & ERHWSC WASTEWATER FEES INCLUDE (WHERE A TAP DOES NOT EXIST):
- Membership $400.00
- Installation Fee (includes CSI) $1,250.00
- Impact Fee $1,600.00
- Water Rights Fee $1,901.94
TOTAL $5,151.94 (does not include WW Impact Fee or Connection Fee)
WASTEWATER FEES INCLUDE (Lozano Wastewater System Capacity):
- Installation fee (Wastewater Standard) $500.00
- Impact Fee $400.00
TOTAL $800.00 (does not include WW Impact Fee or Connection Fee)
WASTEWATER FEES INCLUDE (Southside Wastewater System Capacity):
- Installation fee (Wastewater Standard) $500.00
- Impact Fee $4,000.00
TOTAL $4,500.00
NON-STANDARD SERVICE: Non-Standard service is defined as any service request, which requires a meter service larger than 5/8X3/4", or an addition to the supply, storage, treatment, and/or distribution/collection system. Typically non-standard service includes road bores, line extensions or upgrades.
FEES INCLUDED:
- FEES NOTED ABOVE
- Plus construction and associated costs (to be determined by service investigation)
REQUIREMENTS FOR STANDARD AND NON-STANDARD SERVICE
- The Corporation's Water and/or Wastewater Service Application and Agreement Form shall be completed in full and signed by the Applicant(s).
- A Right of Way Easement Form, Sanitary Control Easement, or other such easement form, required by the Corporation as a condition of service, must be completed by the Applicant for the purpose of allowing future facility additions.
- The applicant shall provide proof of ownership to the property for which service has been requested in a manner acceptable to the Corporation. Proof of ownership shall consist of warranty deed, deed of trust or other recordable documentation of fee simple title to the real estate designated to receive service.
- Notice of application approval and costs of service determined by the Corporation shall be presented to the applicant in writing and said terms shall be valid for a period not to exceed thirty (30) days. After that time the Applicant must re-apply for service.
- To determine if service requested is going to be Standard or Non-Standard, the Corporation must do a service investigation. The cost of the investigation is $100.00 and will be applied toward the cost of the meter service upon payment of all required standard and/or non-standard service fees by the applicant.
DEFINITIONS
CSI – Customer Service Inspection
CSI must be conducted by certified personnel as required by Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ).
Installation – Meter installation includes meter and appurtenances and may include excavation and tap. Also state mandated CSI after plumbing improvements are installed.
Impact Fee – In addition to the Membership Fee, each Applicant shall be required to contribute Capital to defray the cost of required water system capacity. This fee shall be assessed immediately prior to providing or reserving service for each tap/lot and shall be assigned and restricted to the tap/lot for which the service was originally requested.
ERHWSC’s impact fee is intended to address TCEQ plant capacity requirements of 0.6 gpd/connection. This plant capacity of 0.6 gpd/connection is equal to 864 gpd/connection.
Membership Fee – A fee qualified as such under the terms of the Tariff and the Bylaws of the Corporation assigned to the real estate designated to receive service.
Water Rights – The corporation will assess a fee for water rights based upon the most recent market price of municipal, domestic, and industrial (MDI) water rights, and at an amount of 0.625 acre-feet per service unit. The General Manager or his appointee will assess the value of current market price based upon prices from actual sales of Rio Grande River water rights. Non-Standard service for more than one tap shall transfer the amount of MDI Rio Grande River water rights noted above to the Corporation. All other Non-Standard water rights requirements will be determined individually.
The Rio Grande River is the primary water source for ERHWSC. Raw river water is treated to potable water quality. The Rio Grande River water may not be diverted without a permitted water right. Historical data indicates a peak annual usage of 0.50 Acre-ft. / meter / year including distribution system losses. Cameron County Irrigation District # 2 charges ERHWSC 25% loss for the water to travel through their canals and resacas. 0.5 AF X 1.25 = 0.625 AF.
Information for Developers
If you are interested in subdividing property in East Rio Hondo Water Supply Corporation's service area, see attached application forms and other support material.
Requirements for Developers
Subdivision Non Standard Service Application
ERHWSC Service Area Maps
East Rio Hondo Water Supply Corporation presents three different maps depicting our water service areas, they represent the Certificate of Convenience and Necessity (CCN). To view the maps click on any of the links below.
