Bellmead Residents Left Without Water Following City Utility Dispute

Residents on Bud Drive in Bellmead, Texas, have reportedly gone weeks without running water after the City of Bellmead removed water meters from several properties. According to KXXV, the city says the properties fall within the City of Waco's water service area, creating a dispute over which city is responsible for providing water to the residents.

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Why Bellmead Residents Suddenly Lost Water Service?

Residents are now fighting to have their water service restored. One resident, Will Rice, told KXXV that he went to the City of Bellmead to ask for his water to be turned back on but was denied. Rice said he was told that he did not have a meter, even though he says he physically showed city officials that a meter was still at the property. He said that after he left, a city worker was sent to the property to remove the meter. The situation becomes even more complicated because the City of Bellmead says the water service at the property was abandoned in 2010 because of an unpaid balance. Bellmead City Manager Yost Zakhary also said the property is located within the City of Waco's water service area and that Bellmead does not have the capacity to extend service beyond its own Certificate of Convenience and Necessity, or CCN.

No Water in Bellmead? Here’s The Dispute Causing the Shutdown

But Waco says there is another problem. While the property is within Waco's CCN, the city lacks water infrastructure in the immediate area. Waco told KXXV that the nearest water line is more than 1,900 linear feet away. The city says it could provide service if the property owner pays for the necessary infrastructure extension, including construction and potentially easements. A CCN essentially defines the geographic area where a water utility is authorized and responsible for providing service. In this case, however, the residents appear to be caught between a service-area boundary and the reality that the infrastructure needed to provide Waco water is not currently in place.

Will Residents Ever Get Answers?

Rice also disputes Bellmead's claim about the unpaid balance. He told KXXV that his aunt lived at the property from 2011 to 2017 and had active water service during that time without leaving unpaid bills. KXXV also found conflicting maps on the Public Utility Commission of Texas website that appear to show different service boundaries for the property. So, what does this mean for the residents of Bellmead? Right now, it appears they are caught in a complicated dispute between two cities while simply trying to get access to a basic necessity: running water. The big question is who will ultimately take responsibility for getting these residents' water service restored, and how long will they have to wait for an answer?