BELTON — The Dog Ridge Water Supply Corporation has posted a fiscal year-to-date surplus of about $92,000, a sharp turnaround from previous years when the system typically operated at a $40,000 to $60,000 deficit.
The improvement, revealed at a board meeting Monday night, stems from a September increase in the monthly base rate from $45 to $55 and a broader effort by the board to reduce expenses and improve financial oversight. Recent monthly profits reportedly totaled about $52,000 in October, $23,000 in November and $53,000 in December.
Board members said cost-control measures played a significant role in the turnaround.
The utility reduced financial software expenses to about one-fifth of previous costs and cut cellphone bills by roughly two-thirds. Officials also created the first comprehensive budget for the corporation since at least 2017, based on available office records, and reorganized accounting practices to better separate fees, equity and investments.
The financial recovery comes as the board addresses what residents in attendance described as years of poor planning, inadequate oversight and costly infrastructure decisions by prior boards.
“I’m tired of seeing bad decisions costing everybody in the system money,” said Robert Whitley, a customer who attended the meeting.
Whitley cited past construction overruns, such as a $64,000 overbuild in 2014, and unused infrastructure that contribute to rising customer costs. He praised the current board for addressing administrative problems and improving financial records.
“A lot of what you’re talking about we weren’t here for,” board Vice President Rudy Watkins said.
The board has increased scrutiny of vendor invoices and project spending, particularly on the $1.9 million Sherwood Shores project.
Watkins said the board is holding engineering firm MRB and developers accountable to the budget as it works within the constraints. This is a response to past issues with overbilling and potential conflicts of interest with the firm.
“I am not their best friend,” Watkins said about developers.
The board has also worked to smooth out major one-time expenses by restructuring contractor payments into more predictable billing schedules. Members said that effort was complicated when the current board took over because it initially lacked access to many office records.
Officials said the utility is also planning for future growth.
An asset management plan is complete, and work continues on a capital improvement plan expected to be available for member review by September. Priorities include expanding system capacity, improving power reliability and identifying a site for a new water tower north of Interstate 14.
The utility is also pursuing state and federal funding opportunities to help offset costs.
An income study found the service area qualifies as low-income under Texas Water Development Board criteria, improving eligibility for grants. Officials are preparing applications for multiple programs, including a fully forgivable water infrastructure grant that could provide up to $5 million for upgrades.
Meanwhile, crews have installed 490 of roughly 2,100 new water meters — nearly one-quarter. The lead-copper replacement project is on hold until the replacements are complete, expected by early September.
The utility also continues updating system maps, replacing software and addressing water loss after line breaks and leaks accounted for roughly 365,000 gallons last month.
The board said maintaining recent financial gains while securing outside funding will be critical as the system faces growing development pressure and major infrastructure needs.
