El Paso Water seeks input on four budget scenarios for fiscal 2027-28

El Paso Water customers can attend community meetings this month to weigh in on how the utility balances infrastructure investment, system reliability and affordability in its fiscal 2027-28 budget, according to El Paso Matters.

The Public Service Board asked EPWater staff to develop four distinct budget scenarios rather than a single proposal, each representing different approaches to capital spending and operational costs. The scenarios range from a combined water, wastewater and stormwater budget 27 percent lower than the current $1.2 billion annual budget to one that is 25 percent higher.

The four scenarios are: Accelerated reliability, which makes the largest capital investment including faster pipeline replacement; Strategic, which prioritizes the highest-needed projects while balancing reliability and affordability; Lean, which reduces spending by delaying 21 projects and eliminating approximately 140 positions; and High risk, which makes the lowest capital investment, deferring or canceling projects at four treatment plants including the Pure Water Center and eliminating 300 positions.

Lower spending could reduce immediate rate impacts but would require projects to be delayed or canceled. Higher investment would allow faster completion of critical infrastructure projects but would result in higher customer rates.

Gilbert Trejo, EPWater's vice president of operations and technical services, said deferring projects reduces short-term rate pressure but those projects must eventually be completed, potentially at higher future costs. "The cost of waiting is real," Trejo said, according to El Paso Matters.

EPWater will host evening meetings in all eight City Council districts plus an all-community meeting at the TecH 2 O Water Resources Learning Center. Customers can attend a meeting in their district to learn about the proposed budgets and rate impacts, ask questions and provide feedback. The Public Service Board will consider input from the community meetings as it continues developing the fiscal 2027-28 budget.