MUD 18 Newsletter

January – March 2026

WINTER REMINDER

Please make sure your sprinkler system’s backflow preventer is properly insulated to prevent freezing. If there is a freeze warning, turn off the water to your irrigation system and to the backflow preventer. Drain the upper part by opening the two screw valves to let the water out. This 10-minute prevention will save you hundreds in repair costs.

SYSTEM UPDATES

The District completed several important maintenance projects this past year:

• At the sewage treatment plant and Water Plant 1, the last two original diesel generators were replaced with natural gas generators. Our whole system is now backed up with natural gas. During power outages, our water and sewer systems will operate on backup power to provide continuous service.
• New air blowers and piping were added to the sewage treatment plant that are quieter and more efficient. The old system had underground piping that was severely corroded and was no longer working properly.
• The one-million-gallon storage tank at Water Plant 1 was refurbished and repainted inside and out to bring it back to like-new condition.
• A drainage issue at Shields Lane and Bentwater Drive was corrected so that water ponding is significantly reduced when there is heavy rain.

Design is underway for one major new project to be completed in 2026:

There are six areas of Bentwater comprising 102 homes that are currently served by a “dead-end” water feed. This year the District will be adding additional water mains to make these homes part of the looped water system. Once this is completed, if there is a broken water main or a valve that needs repair at those locations, homes will not be as vulnerable to shut-offs during the repairs. This looping will also eliminate the need for periodic flushing of these dead-end mains.

SIGN UP FOR ONLINE E-STATEMENTS AND BILL PAY

Signing up is easy! There are two ways to do this – online or by calling First Billing. To sign up, follow these steps:

• You will need your account number from a recent statement.
• Go to https://haysnorth.firstbilling.com to the First Billing site, or call (855) 270-3592.
• Click on “create new account.”
• Your account number will be a 15-digit number in this exact format: 19908-0123456789. Everyone in MUD8 has the same first 5 digits (19908), then a dash, then your old 10-digit account number with no dashes. The statement you receive in May will have the new 15 digit account number.
• Enter your zip code and email information. Create a user name and password, then confirm your password. You will get an email back which you will need to click on to confirm your email.
  Sign-in. You can then register for E-Statements, pay a bill, set up auto pay, etc.
• We encourage everyone to sign up for E-Statements so you can get your statements anytime from anywhere. This is free. You will get an email each month when your statement is available. You can also review all of the other bill pay (auto bill pay) options.
• If you are currently having Hays debit your bank account automatically, this will not change. You do not need to sign up for a new bill pay method. But we would still appreciate it if you would sign up for E-Statements.

If you have any other questions about service or billing, please contact the district operator:

Hays Utility North Corporation
Billing address: P.O. Box 1170, Montgomery, Texas 77356
Physical address: 375 Lake Meadows Dr, Montgomery, Texas 77316
Phone: (936) 588-1166

Our monthly board meetings, starting at 9:30AM, are held on the third Tuesday of each month at the country club are open to the public and residents are welcome to attend.

Our web site: https://www.mcmud18.com/ Please bookmark for future reference.

Your MUD Board:
Susan McFarland, President
David Parkhill, Vice President
John Crystal, Treasurer
Rex Cambern, Secretary
Terry Gent, Assistant Secretary

MUD 18 Newsletter October – December 2025

2025 Tax Rate Reduction

The new MUD tax for 2025 will be $0.17 per $100 of valuation. This is a $0.03 (15%) drop from the previous year.

The 2025 average home valuation in our district is $701,987 a 7.8% rise from last year’s average valuation of $658,137. In 2024, the average tax bill was $1,316, while this year it will be $1,193. Even if the taxable value of your home increased, you should see a drop in the amount of tax owed to MUD 18. Please note that this is an average, meaning some bills will be higher and some bills will be lower. Everything will be based on your property’s assessed value as determined by the County Appraisal District.

It is the intention of the Board to collect only what is needed to meet its debt obligations and planned capital expenditures in the five-year plan. These are for major capital expenditures to effectively improve and maintain our water wells, water and wastewater treatment facilities, and other related infrastructure.

2025 Water and Sewer Rate Increase

Our last sewer price increase was in 2019. Since then, the Consumer Price Index (CPI) has increased 29%. Starting October 1, 2025, our sewer rate will increase by 11%, going from $45 to $50 per month. Please remember that this fee also includes trash collection.

Our base water rate of $15 will remain the same, but each tier above that will increase $0.50 per 1,000 gallons. For example, under the new rate schedule if you used 4,000 gallons the cost would go from $60/month to $65/month. Usage of up to 10,000 gallons per month would go from $66 to $74/month, an $8 increase. Usage of up to 15,000 gallons/month would increase from $73.50/month to $84.00/month, a $10.50 increase.

Usage of up to 20,000 gallons/month would go from $86/month to $99/month, a $13 increase.

With the increased costs of natural gas and electricity, as well as other supplies and labor, the Board has found it necessary to increase rates to cover expenses. Even with the rate increase, compared to surrounding districts our rates and taxes are amongst the lowest in the area. We will continue to provide the quality of water and uninterrupted service that Bentwater has come to rely on.

Board meetings are open to the public and held the third Tuesday of the month at the Country Club at 9:30AM.
Your MUD Board:
Susan McFarland, President
David Parkhill, Vice President
John Crystal, Treasurer
Rex Cambern, Secretary
Terry Gent, Assistant Secretary

There are currently no District updates. Check back for the latest news of what’s going on within the District.