Rehab or repair? From the cover
What residents should know
Two-minute impact
Peterson said the agency has no immediate plans to hold a bond election to support infrastruc- ture needs, but users could see increases to their water rates in the future, as a MUD cannot raise its tax rate by more than 3.5% each year without voter approval. “The Woodlands taxes are some of the lowest tax rates in Montgomery County,” Peterson said. “That sounds good, but when you have big ticket items and recent legislation limits what MUDs can do in terms of raising their rates.” Most MUD tax rates drop Between 2020-25, nine out of 10 local MUDs have seen tax rates decrease. MUD 2020 2025 Change 1 $0.075 $0.0648 -13.6% 6 $0.08 $0.067108 -16.12% 7 $0.125 $0.106585 -14.73% 36 $0.035 $0.0424 +21.14% 39 $0.355 $0.24 -32.39% 46 $0.20974 $0.174633 -16.74% 47 $0.245 $0.160684 -34.41% 60 $0.165 $0.124965 -24.26% 67 $0.16 $0.135 -15.63% Metro $0.09 $0.085 -5.56%
the next 10 years, he said. In addition, a $100 million project to convert lift stations near Sawdust Road to gravity lines was deemed not cost-eective and will not be pursued. However, the wastewater treatment plant on Sawdust Road in the Village of Grogan’s Mill is still being evaluated to determine whether a replacement is needed, as a full replacement could cost “hundreds of millions” of dollars, he said. “Age in itself is not the only criteria that you should be looking at,” Peterson said. “And so the MUDs are focused on wanting to look at the condition as well.” Meanwhile, a $13 million sanitary sewer project to rehab gravity mains near the south shore of Lake Woodlands is wrapping up this spring. Additionally, a new $3 million drainage ditch project is aimed at improving water ow to prevent ooding, which is the third focus of the township’s water agency.
More than 50 years after The Woodlands’ founding in 1974, plans to upgrade or replace parts of the community’s water infrastructure are underway, but ocials said recent ndings have led them to consider eliminating or delaying several projects, while others could be phased in over several years. An initial projection of $729 million for the San Jacinto River Authority’s 10-year 2026- 35 project plan for The Woodlands division is being revised downward after receiving community input and several studies, said Erich Peterson, general manager of The Woodlands Water Agency. The agency oversees the 10 Montgomery County municipal utility districts in The Woodlands. A year-long waterline condition assessment concluded in late 2025, and the results show that original estimates for $250 million in needs could be reduced to about $150 million for asbestos cement waterline replacement in
The Woodlands waterline renewal project Wastewater treatment plants
Waterlines to be replaced
Elevated storage tanks
1488
242
ALDEN BRIDGE DR.
NOTE: TAX RATES PER $100 VALUATION SOURCE: THE WOODLANDS WATER AGENCYCOMMUNITY IMPACT
VISION PARK BLVD.
COCHRANS CROSSING DR.
Another detail
LAKE WOODLANDS DR.
RESEARCH FOREST DR.
The township’s 35 miles of drainage ditches are also undergoing $3 million in improvements that will take 12-18 months to complete, Peterson said. “We did a rst-of-its-kind, 10-month evaluation of every ditch in The Woodlands,” Peterson said. “Overall, The Woodlands ditches are in great shape, but we have some things to address.” Drainage needs have also increased with the community’s age, said Laura Norton, vice president of MUD 47. “While it has been a long time, we do sometimes have … incredible rain events,” Norton said. “We do use our streets to hold some water, but we need to get it out of the neighborhoods.” The work being carried out this year will continue as part of routine maintenance, Peterson said. “We have built a proactive maintenance program that we have not had in the past,” he said.
WOODLANDS PKWY.
BRANCH CROSSING DR.
FLINTRIDGE DR.
LAKE WOODLANDS
CREEKSIDE FOREST DR.
2978
S. MILLBEND DR. GROGANS MILL RD.
Current water infrastructure in The Woodlands includes the following:
126 miles of water supply line 70 miles of sewer line 3 wastewater treatment facilities
SAWDUST RD.
45
9 water storage tanks 6 elevated water tanks
99 TOLL
SOURCE: SAN JACINTO RIVER AUTHORITY¡COMMUNITY IMPACT
N
SOURCE: THE WOODLANDS WATER AGENCY¡COMMUNITY IMPACT
36
COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM
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