Montrose Improvement District

.. ...

1. What should I do if I believe my water bill is too high? If you suspect your water bill contains errors, the best approach is to contact Utility Billing or visit a customer service representative at the ground floor of Allen City Hall. They will examine your account history and personal circumstances. Reach Utility Billing at 214.509.4560.
2. Does the City of Allen use "smart meters" and what's the difference? Allen doesn't utilize "smart water meters" for residential accounts. We employ Neptune meters, the same type we've used for over 20 years. Only about 10% require manual reading by technicians who input usage into data recording devices. The remaining 90% have lead wires connecting from the register to a touch-read pad atop the meter cover.
3. How does the City read meters in Allen? For both meter types, a technician visits each property monthly. With manually-read meters, they open the lid to check the meter face. For touch-read meters, they simply contact the pad on the meter lid to retrieve current readings. While this system is electronic, it doesn't emit Radio Frequency signals.
4. Does Allen ever estimate or average consumer usage? In the past fifteen years, the City hasn't "estimated" meter readings due to weather or other factors. A technician physically checks every meter each billing cycle.
5. Does the City replace meters on a schedule or when they fail? Residential water meters are replaced on a 10-15 year cycle because meters gradually slow with age, affecting billing accuracy. Any continuously malfunctioning meters are promptly replaced.
6. Will the City test my meter if I suspect it's not working correctly? Meter testing is available upon request for a $20 fee. If tests show the meter runs too fast, we refund the fee and adjust your bill accordingly. No adjustments are made for slow meters, though they'll be replaced with new ones.
7. Why does my water bill keep increasing? Allen purchases water from the North Texas Municipal Water District (NTMWD), which has raised rates annually due to operational costs, EPA mandates, invasive species management, and expanding water supply for growing North Texas populations.
8. What is the current water rate structure? The structure uses tiers calculated per 1,000 gallons: Residential minimum bill (5/8-inch meter, includes first 1,500 gallons): $10.29; 1,501-15,000 gallons: $3.40 per 1,000; 15,001-25,000 gallons: $4.25 per 1,000; 25,001-50,000 gallons: $5.32 per 1,000; 50,001-75,000 gallons: $7.99 per 1,000; Over 75,000 gallons: $11.98 per 1,000.