Sec. 13.183.  FIXING OVERALL REVENUES.  (a)  In fixing the rates for water and sewer services, the regulatory authority shall fix its overall revenues at a level that will:
(1)  permit the utility a reasonable opportunity to earn a reasonable return on its invested capital used and useful in rendering service to the public over and above its reasonable and necessary operating expenses;  and
(2)  preserve the financial integrity of the utility.
(b)  In a rate proceeding, the regulatory authority may authorize collection of additional revenues from the customers to provide funds for capital improvements necessary to provide facilities capable of providing adequate and continuous utility service if an accurate accounting of the collection and use of those funds is provided to the regulatory authority.  A facility constructed with surcharge funds is considered customer contributed capital or contributions in aid of construction and may not be included in invested capital, and depreciation expense is not allowed.
(c)  To ensure that retail customers receive a higher quality, more affordable, or more reliable water or sewer service, to encourage regionalization, or to maintain financially stable and technically sound utilities, the regulatory authority, by rule or ordinance, as appropriate, may adopt specific alternative ratemaking methodologies for water or sewer rates to allow for more timely and efficient cost recovery.  Appropriate alternative ratemaking methodologies are the introduction of new customer classes, the cash needs method, and phased and multi-step rate changes.  The regulatory authority may also adopt system improvement charges that may be periodically adjusted to ensure timely recovery of infrastructure investment.  The utility commission by rule shall establish a schedule that requires all utilities that have implemented a system improvement charge approved by the utility commission to make periodic filings with the utility commission to modify or review base rates charged by the utility.  Overall revenues determined according to an alternative ratemaking methodology adopted under this section must provide revenues to the utility that satisfy the requirements of Subsection (a).  The regulatory authority may not approve rates under an alternative ratemaking methodology unless the regulatory authority adopts the methodology before the date the rate application was administratively complete.
(d)  A regulatory authority other than the utility commission may not approve an acquisition adjustment for a system purchased before the effective date of an ordinance authorizing acquisition adjustments.
(e)  In determining to use an alternative ratemaking methodology, the regulatory authority shall assure that rates, operations, and services are just and reasonable to the consumers and to the utilities.
Added by Acts 1985, 69th Leg., ch. 795, Sec. 3.005, eff. Sept. 1, 1985.  Amended by Acts 1987, 70th Leg., ch. 539, Sec. 9, eff. Sept. 1, 1987;  Acts 1989, 71st Leg., ch. 567, Sec. 17, eff. Sept. 1, 1989;  Acts 1997, 75th Leg., ch. 1010, Sec. 6.04, eff. Sept. 1, 1997;  Acts 2001, 77th Leg., ch. 966, Sec. 10.05, eff. Sept. 1, 2001.
Amended by: 
Acts 2013, 83rd Leg., R.S., Ch. 170 (H.B. 1600), Sec. 2.36, eff. September 1, 2013.
Acts 2013, 83rd Leg., R.S., Ch. 171 (S.B. 567), Sec. 36, eff. September 1, 2013.
Acts 2019, 86th Leg., R.S., Ch. 967 (S.B. 700), Sec. 4, eff. September 1, 2019.