For Immediate Release – July 17, 2008

AUSTIN - The Austin Water Utility (AWU) is currently conducting a study to help determine how future water and wastewater rates will be established. The public is invited to attend the next meeting of the Cost of Service Study's Public Involvement Committee (PIC) at 6 p.m., July 22nd in Room 104 of the Waller Creek Center, 625 East 10th Street.

PIC meetings provide an opportunity for public involvement and consensus-building as the study develops methods for determining water and wastewater rates for residential, multi-family, commercial industrial and wholesale classes of consumers. Each customer class is represented by two citizen/ratepayer members of the PIC who are appointed by the Austin City Council as well as neighborhood and commercial groups.

The PIC will continue to hold bi-monthly meetings as it reviews various issues related to categories of water and wastewater service to determine how to equitably distribute costs of providing service among AWU customers.

Please visit our website at http://www.ci.austin.tx.us/water/costofservice.htm for more information on the Cost of Service Study or to determine who your PIC representative is.

Media Contact:
Kevin Buchman
Email to: Kevin.Buchman@ci.austin.tx.us
City of Austin Water Utility
(512) 972-0151; pgr.(512) 802-8959