Collinsville water customers living outside the city limits saw their base rate increase after the City Council raised the rate from $33.69 to $53.79 on Aug. 17.
The change creates a difference between what customers inside and outside Collinsville pay. The city’s inside-city base rate remains $33.69, making the new outside rate $20.10 higher.
Previously, Collinsville was one of the few area cities charging the same base water rate regardless of whether a customer lived inside or outside the city limits.
According to the Greater Texoma Utility Authority’s 2026 Water and Sewer Rate Survey, Collinsville’s $33.69 base rate had applied to customers both inside and outside the city when the survey was compiled. The survey compares water and sewer rates charged by cities and utilities across North Texas.
Even with Collinsville’s increase, charging higher rates to customers outside municipal boundaries is common among neighboring cities, according to the GTUA survey.
Whitewright has one of the larger differences among nearby communities. Its residential base water rate is $40 inside the city limits and $73.50 outside, a difference of $33.50, or about 83.8%. The survey also shows higher usage charges for Whitewright customers outside the city.
Tioga charges $38 inside the city limits and $76 outside — exactly double the base rate. Its usage charges are also doubled for outside customers.
Pottsboro’s base rate is $47.70 for a ¾-inch meter inside the city and $95.35 outside, an increase of $47.65 and essentially twice the inside rate. The city’s volume charges are also higher outside its boundaries.
Whitesboro charges a $27.80 minimum residential rate inside the city and $41.82 outside, a difference of $14.02, or about 50.4%.
Tom Bean’s minimum rate is $39.86 for the first 2,000 gallons inside the city and $59.22 outside, a $19.36 difference, or about 48.6%. Its volume rates are also higher for customers outside the city limits.
Other communities in the GTUA survey also charge substantially more outside their city limits. Honey Grove’s base rate is $27.30 inside and $61.29 outside, an increase of about 124.5%. Bells charges $45.25 inside and $85.18 outside, an increase of about 88.2%. Krum’s rates are $27.41 and $48.46, respectively, a difference of about 76.8%.
Savoy charges $20 inside and $31.74 outside, about 58.7% more. Princeton charges $25.67 inside and $38.51 outside, approximately 50% more. Lindsay’s $18.49 inside rate increases to $27.74 outside, also about 50%.
Other cities have smaller differences. Denison’s base rate increases from $36.73 to $56 outside the city limits; Howe’s increases from $31.50 to $47.25; Dodd City’s goes from $35 to $50; Bailey’s from $43 to $60; Henrietta’s from $45 to $61; Dorchester’s from $45 to $60; Anna’s from $35.10 to $43.88; and Callisburg’s from $20 to $25.
A handful of surveyed communities do not impose a higher base water rate on customers outside their boundaries.
Trenton lists a uniform residential minimum of $59.95 for customers inside and outside the city limits. Windom also lists a $35 base rate for both, although its volume charge is higher outside the city limits.
With the Aug. 17 action, Collinsville moves from having no outside-city base-rate premium to charging approximately 59.7% more. That places its percentage increase above nearby Tom Bean and Whitesboro but below Whitewright, Pottsboro and Tioga.
The comparison is based on base or minimum residential water rates reported in the 2026 Greater Texoma Utility Authority Water and Sewer Rate Survey.
Actual monthly bills can vary based on water consumption, meter size and each city’s volume-rate structure.
Higher rates for customers outside municipal boundaries are common among cities.
Such rate structures can account for the cost of extending and maintaining service outside a city and the fact that outside customers do not contribute the same municipal taxes as residents.
The Greater Texoma Utility Authority’s 2026 Water and Sewer Rate Survey shows most of the area cities surveyed charge a higher residential water rate outside their city limits, according to guidance published by the Texas General Land Office.
In addition to being publisher of the News-Record, Lewter is also a member of the Collinsville City Council.