Celina Holds Water and Wastewater Rates Flat in 2026, With Annual Increases Planned 2027 to 2030

CELINA, Texas. The Celina City Council reviewed a 2026 Water and Wastewater Rate Study on June 9, 2026 that recommends maintaining the current rates through the rest of 2026 and then phasing in annual April rate adjustments from 2027 through 2030. The study was conducted by Willdan Financial Services and presented in revised form on May 22, 2026 ahead of the council action item.

What the study recommends

• No water or wastewater rate adjustment in 2026
• Annual rate adjustments effective each April, 2027 through 2030
• A follow-up rate study before the projected 2029 and 2030 increases
• Continued annual transfers from the Future Infrastructure Fund to help cover capital needs

Celina's current water and wastewater rates went into effect in June 2023. According to the study, the utility fund remains financially healthy and the city expects continued strong growth into 2026. Willdan's five-year forecast outlines the revenue requirement needed to fully fund operations and the city's utility capital improvement projects.

How the rate plan limits ratepayer impact

The study explicitly leverages Celina's ongoing growth to absorb part of the inflationary pressure on operations. By transferring funds from the city's Future Infrastructure Fund and spreading rate increases across four annual steps starting in 2027, the plan aims to keep year-over-year bill increases moderate rather than imposing a single larger adjustment.

The study also commits the city to conduct an additional rate study before enacting the projected 2029 and 2030 adjustments, which would let council reassess the assumptions if growth or inflation patterns shift materially between now and the back end of the plan.

Why this matters for new residents

Celina is among the fastest-growing North Texas municipalities by recent housing-permit counts. The rate-study structure is designed to translate that growth into capacity to absorb operating cost inflation, rather than translating it into immediate rate increases. The trade-off is that delayed adjustments compress into the back half of the five-year plan, making the 2029 and 2030 review the most consequential decision point for ratepayers.

Sources

Celina City Council Regular Meeting agenda and packet, June 9, 2026, item IX.G (CivicClerk public portal). Willdan Financial Services, 2026 Water and Wastewater Rate Study (revised May 22, 2026), included in agenda packet pages 920 to 1010.