What does a home inside Boerne city limits cost to run in August, when the irrigation is running and the pool is losing water to evaporation? The water line on the bill reflects August. The sewer line reflects the previous winter. Under the City of Boerne's residential schedule, sewer volume is the average of a household's water use in December, January, February and March. That average becomes a fixed charge starting with April's bill and stays in place until the next April.
The next averaging window opens in December. Rates also changed on October 1, so the charge set this winter will be calculated at higher prices than last year's.
Four winter months set a year of sewer charges
The City of Boerne's inside-city wastewater rate schedule, labeled "Rates as of October 1, 2026," charges residential customers $26.88 a month plus $6.81 per 1,000 gallons of calculated use. The customer charge applies even in a month with no usage.
Because the volume is fixed for twelve months, each 1,000 gallons added to the winter average costs $6.81 every month for a year, or $81.72 annually. At the current rates:
- A 2,000-gallon winter average produces a monthly sewer charge of $40.50.
- A 3,000-gallon average produces $47.31.
- A 5,000-gallon average produces $60.93, or about $731 for the year.
The pattern is easy to miss. A house that uses a lot of water in July can carry a modest sewer charge, and a house with a running irrigation zone or a pool top-off routine in February carries that February for twelve months. The schedule bases the calculation on "average water usage" in those four months. It does not separate one use of that water from another.
The number follows the household, not the house
The schedule says that if a home "was not occupied by current customer in those months, the average sewer usage from the customer's previous location will be transferred to the new location." Customers new to the city's service area are assigned "an established City-wide average" until their own average is calculated in the next winter period.
So the sewer charge does not come with the property. It comes with the person. That affects three common moves differently.
- A move within Boerne. An owner going from a smaller in-city home to a larger one brings the old home's winter average along. The new house's sewer charge starts out reflecting the old house's usage, and it resets on the next April bill.
- A relocation from outside the service area. The household pays the city-wide average until its own winter calculation takes effect in April. Because the calculation runs once a year, a household that arrives in late spring carries the city-wide figure for most of a year.
- A downsizer or a long-distance seller. When a home is listed, its sewer line shows the current owner's winter habits. A buyer comparing monthly costs will be billed on their own usage, or on the city-wide figure, from the start.
For anyone reading a seller's utility history during due diligence, the water line tells you something about the house and the sewer line mostly tells you about the people who lived there.
What changed on October 1
The Boerne City Council approved Ordinance 2026-10 on first reading by a 5–0 vote at its August 25, 2026 meeting. It replaced the previous wastewater ordinance, 2025-14. The San Antonio Express-News reported that water, sewer and reclaimed-water rates each rise 7%, starting with November bills, and that this is the third of five annual increases in a longer-term plan. The stormwater fee also doubles.
Using city figures, the Express-News laid out the change for the average Boerne home:
| Monthly charge, average home | Before the increase | After the increase |
|---|---|---|
| Water | $37.69 | $40.33 |
| Sewer | $38.90 | $41.64 |
| Stormwater | $4.00 | $8.00 |
| Total | $80.59 | $89.97 |
That is an 11.6% increase in the total. On an average bill, the sewer charge is larger than the water charge. Two more annual increases remain in the five-year plan. Because the sewer volume is fixed each spring, every winter's average will be priced at whatever rate applies that year.
The city's tax rate also changed this fall. A city notice posted September 9, 2026 says the City of Boerne's adopted rate raises its maintenance and operations taxes by 1.3%, about $4.70 on a $100,000 home.
Summer is when the water tiers apply
Water is billed on a different principle. Under the inside-city water rate schedule, also effective October 1, 2026, a 5/8-inch meter carries a $34.44 monthly charge and a 3/4-inch meter carries $71.75. Volume is billed per 100 gallons in rising tiers, from $0.256 for the first 6,000 gallons up to $2.318 above 100,000 gallons.
| Monthly gallons | Price per 100 gallons |
|---|---|
| 0 to 6,000 | $0.256 |
| 6,001 to 10,000 | $0.426 |
| 10,001 to 15,000 | $0.585 |
| 15,001 to 25,000 | $0.641 |
| 25,001 to 50,000 | $1.162 |
| 50,001 to 100,000 | $1.428 |
| Over 100,000 | $2.318 |
Under this structure, a 30,000-gallon summer month on a 5/8-inch meter comes to about $218 for water, and nearly a third of that comes from the 5,000 gallons above the 25,000 mark. On larger lots with established landscaping, the tiers make summer the expensive season for water. The sewer schedule makes winter the season that counts for sewer.
The same water schedule lists a separate residential irrigation rate. It is a flat $1.0210 per 100 gallons year-round, with its own customer charges of $34.44 for a 5/8-inch meter and $71.76 for a 3/4-inch meter. That flat rate is higher than every domestic tier up to 25,000 gallons and lower than every tier above it. Whether a separate irrigation meter makes sense for a given property depends on how much of its use falls in those upper tiers. The city's Utility Rules and Regulations say residential meters are installed by the city, normally within 10 working days of application when no service extension is needed.
Where the money goes
The Express-News reported that city officials tied the increases to infrastructure needed as Boerne grows. The city's population has risen from 10,500 in 2010 to about 25,000. The article named these projects.
- The higher stormwater fee supports debt for a $14.5 million project to improve the low-water crossing on Old San Antonio Road at Menger Creek. According to city documents, it likely won't be finished until the end of the decade.
- In April, the council approved a $5.3 million expansion at one of the city's wastewater treatment plants. It includes a new pump facility and an upgrade to the existing pump station.
- A 600,000-gallon steel ground storage tank for reclaimed water is planned. Much of the city's reclaimed water goes to developments on the fast-growing east side.
- City staff proposed about $17 million in water and wastewater infrastructure spending for 2027, including $7 million in debt.
These items explain why the five-year plan exists, and why a buyer comparing an in-city Boerne home with other options should budget for utility costs that keep rising for the next two years.
Where the schedule stops
All of this applies to City of Boerne utility customers inside city limits. The wastewater and water schedules cited here are labeled for inside-city service. Homes with a Boerne address outside city limits are not covered by these schedules. When comparing an in-city home with acreage, start by asking who provides each utility, before looking at any rate.
A Few Direct Questions
When does the winter average for this cycle take effect? The schedule averages water use in December, January, February and March each year and applies the result starting with April's bill. For the coming winter, that means use from December 2026 through March 2027 sets the charge that starts in April 2027.
Does a buyer inherit the seller's sewer charge? No. Under the schedule, the buyer's own average from their previous location transfers with them. If they are new to the service area, they get the city-wide average until their own winter calculation.
Are more rate increases scheduled? The Express-News reported that this year's 7% increase is the third of five annual increases.
This post is general information drawn from the city's published schedules, not legal, tax or financial advice. Please confirm the rates and billing rules that apply to a specific property with the City of Boerne and the appropriate professionals.
If you are weighing an in-city Boerne home against acreage, or planning a sale and want your carrying costs laid out clearly for buyers, Kristina Guzman can help you add up the actual monthly cost before you commit. Let's Connect.
