The Fort Worth Water Rate Increase: 5 Ways to Save Money

The Tarrant Regional Water District (TRWD) plans a 2.2% water rate increase for North Texas residents. That means higher water bills for residents of Fort Worth, Arlington, and Mansfield. 

There’s no stopping the rate hike, which will add $110 million to Fort Worth’s annual water bill. Instead, local homeowners should seek out simple ways to save water- and save money in the process.

At Mother Modern Plumbing, we’re focused on real-world plumbing solutions for Dallas-Fort Worth residents. Our local plumbing experts filled this guide with 5 plumbing upgrades you can use to keep water usage down, and keep cash in your pocket.

Need Fort Worth plumbing service? Call Mother 7 days a week for local water line inspection, repair and leak detection services that deliver lasting results.

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A 2.2% Water Rate Increase Planned for North Texas

The water rate hike is part of a proposed 2026 budget for the Tarrant Regional Water District (TRWD), which serves 70 cities and wholesale customers across 11 North Texas counties. 

The hike increases TRWD’s 2026 income by nearly 6%, money it plans to use on increased customer demand and funding maintenance projects. According to Fort Worth Report, these increases will apply to both residential and commercial consumers.

“The increase in the water district’s $1.40 water rate would fund $2.2 billion worth of large capital projects through 2032,” reports Nicole Lopez.

DFW area cities affected by the water rate increase

3 major cities in the DFW Metroplex are directly affected by the proposed water rate hike:

1. Fort Worth
2. Arlington
3. Mansfield

In particular, Fort Worth will account for over 59% of 2026 water sales ($110 million).

A small increase with large implications: why it matters

On paper, the rate increase per 1,000 gallons doesn’t appear like much. However, rising local water demand and usage compounds the effect of this rate hike drastically.

Water usage in Fort Worth, Arlington and Mansfield increased 3.5% from 2024 to 2025, according to TRWD chief financial officer Sandy Newby. Fort Worth alone is expected to use over 77 million gallons of water in 2026.

In addition, a large chunk of TRWD’s increased revenue will cover clean water budget cuts made at the federal level. 

Bedford, TX announces 12.4% water rate increase

In September 2025, the City of Bedford, TX announced a 12.4% water rate hike for both monthly water and wastewater consumption.

The Fort Worth Report states this increase would make Bedford's "average monthly summer bill $10.83 higher".

This significant hike is triggered by wholesale costs from the Tarrant Regional Water District- making Bedford the latest city affected by TRWD's increase.

Mitigate Water Rate Hikes by Conserving Water At Home

The best way to avoid paying more on your monthly water bills is by using less water. This is easier said than done- from showers to washing dishes and clothes, water heater usage to cooking and drinking, there’s plenty of water usage you can’t avoid.

But saving water isn’t always about turning off the taps and collecting rainwater.

The majority of unplanned increases to your monthly water bill are caused by plumbing issues like leaks, inefficient appliances and water pressure damage — not user waste.

Plan ahead: save water with smart plumbing solutions

The EPA reports an average household leak wastes 10,000 gallons of water per year. That’s enough to add nearly $500 per year to your water bills.

Water rates are only going up in DFW. The ever-increasing effect of these leaks and plumbing issues strains your household budget far more than a long shower ever will.

Our plumbers combined their 98 years of local experience to create an action plan for homeowners to save money on water bills in the face of impending rate hikes. 

Your 5-Step Plumbing Plan to Reduce Water Bills

Use this 5-step plan to ensure long-term savings on your home’s water bill:

1. Schedule annual water leak detection service
2. Increase your toilet’s efficiency
3. Stabilize your home’s incoming water pressure
4. Install a whole home automatic water shut off valve
5. Consider a smart irrigation controller

These tips go beyond daily water-saving solutions. We’re here to solve root causes of hidden water waste that offer noticeable savings for years, not days.

Step 1: Schedule annual water leak detection service

How it saves water and money: A small pinhole leak in underground water lines wastes 6,500 gallons per month. With TRWD’s new 2026 rate increase, that would add $234 to your annual water bill — and that doesn’t count damage to your foundation, water line and home structure.

Annual yard leak detection offers particular value in Fort Worth. The average cost of Texas yard leak detection service is $500-$1,000 — compare that to a main line pipe replacement cost of $5,000-$12,500 when a pipe bursts.

Shifting, expansive clay soil puts immense strain on your main water line pipe materials, especially older corroded pipes. Mitigate these conditions with non-invasive leak detection — no need to dig into your clay soil and make the problem worse.

Expect 5 yard leak detection options from your local plumbing service:

1. Acoustic leak detection: Highly-sensitive microphones to pick up sound waves from leaking water underground. These high-frequency waves are amplified to analyze patterns and direction.
2. Electronic leak detection: An electronic leak detector senses changes in conductivity due to the presence of water. This allows it to find wet areas underground surrounded by dry soil — a telltale sign of leakage.
3. Infrared thermography: Water leaking from a pressurized pipe often raises or lowers the temperature of the surrounding soil. An infrared camera is used to detect these temperature changes, and display them as thermal images.
4. Hydrostatic pressure testing: The pipe in question is isolated, then fitted with a pressure gauge and filled with water. The system is pressurized and all air pockets are removed. A drop in pressure indicates a leak within the pipe system.
5. Underground camera inspection: Expect a main line or sewer camera inspection with every professional leak detection. We keep photo and video records of all camera inspections on file for customer review — they’re here if needed for insurance or reimbursement claims.

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Step 2: Increase your toilet’s efficiency

How it saves water and money: A leaky, inefficient toilet wastes between 180-200 gallons per day. Upgrade to a more efficient toilet and you won’t just save money — cities like Plano, TX offer rebates for installing high-efficiency toilets.

The average toilet meets a federal standard of using 1.6 gallons per flush. High-efficiency toilets are designed to use 1.28 gallons or less per flush.

The EPA estimates that high-efficiency toilets “save more than $170 per year in water costs, and $3,400 over the lifetime of the toilets.” This equates to 13,000 gallons of saved water per household per year.

Look for WaterSense labeled toilets. They’ve passed rigorous independent third party certification.

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Step 3: Stabilize your home’s incoming water pressure

How it saves water and money: Excessive water pressure forces more water through fixtures than is necessary. Reducing water pressure from 100 psi to 50 psi also reduces home water usage by ⅓ to all affected fixtures.

A pressure reducing valve (PRV) uses a spring and diaphragm system to maintain downstream water pressure at a level you set. No matter the incoming water pressure from the city, your home retains the pressure level you want.

And if the city water pressure drops unexpectedly? The PRV’s diaphragm opens further to maintain your preferred home water pressure. 

A PRV is one of two incredibly useful valves to add to your home’s plumbing system. In our next expert tip, we’ll cover one that’s so valuable, you can get an insurance break or rebate for installing it.

Step 4: Install a whole home automatic water shut off valve

How it saves water and money: Smart water shut off valves prevent burst pipe damage disasters. But they also lower daily water use from leaky faucets and fixtures, and installing certain brands can lower your insurance premiums.

“Carriers are looking for a homeowner that is trying to mitigate risk,” explains Paxten Volbrecht, Director of Agency Operations at Jacobs Insurance Solutions. “An automatic water shut off valve will greatly mitigate water damage to the home.”

Automatic water shut off valves use a series of flow and pressure sensors to monitor the rate and duration of water usage in your home. When an anomaly is detected, the valve automatically shuts off the water to your home. 

This feature can save entire homes from catastrophic damage, like burst pipes while you’re on vacation or away from home. The ongoing reduction in water damage risk and water line maintenance offsets the initial purchase cost.

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Step 5: Consider a smart lawn irrigation controller

How it saves water and money: The average smart sprinkler controller reduces water usage by over 7,500 gallons per household per year. This saves most homeowners between 25-50% on their annual water bills vs. using a sprinkler system without a smart controller.

Some towns offer incentive programs and discounts for homeowners who purchase and install smart irrigation controllers that are EPA WaterSense certified. Use the EPA’s WaterSense Rebate Finder to see if your city participates in the program.

North Texas homeowners should opt for irrigation controllers that offer management solutions based on soil moisture. Clay-based soil has a difficult time draining groundwater- your yard is probably soaked or cracked on a regular basis.

Many reputable smart sprinkler controller brands- like Rachio and Orbit- have built-in soil moisture sensors. If yours doesn’t, you can purchase an independent soil moisture meter to add on to your system.

Call Mother: Protect Your Home From Water Rate Increases

Your best defense against local water rate increases is (obviously) using less water. But that doesn’t mean suffering through short showers and letting your lawn dry up!

Use our 5-step plan to create a smarter home that safeguards against water waste, hidden leaks and inefficient appliances. From smart home water shut off valves to high-efficiency toilets, smart lawn irrigation to leak detection services, we’re here to save DFW residents water and money for decades.

Local homeowners trust Mother Modern Plumbing for customer-first solutions that make homes smarter, less wasteful, and more cost-effective. We bring a combined century of local plumbing expertise to every service call.

Save water, save money, call Mother. We’re here 7 days a week to help you prepare for the upcoming water rate hike in Fort Worth, Arlington and Mansfield.

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