Fort Bend County MUD 23
Governance and Operation

You may direct inquiries to the directors by sending email messages to directors@fortbendmud23.com For questions concerning your water bill, please contact the Operator, Southwest Water Company (formerly Aqua Services, LP) at 713-713-405-1760.

Meetings

The Board regularly meets the second Tuesday of each month at 6:00 p.m. at the M. R. Massey Administration Building, 1570 Rabb Road, Fresno, Texas  77545 and the fourth Thursday of each month at 6:00 p.m.  Thursday meetings are usually held at the law offices of Allen Boone Humphries Robinson LLP, 3200 Southwest Freeway, 26th Floor, Houston, Texas 77027. Meeting notices are posted 72 hours prior to the meeting on the bulletin board located at the M. R. Massey Administration Building. Meeting notices contain the exact time and location of the meeting as well as an agenda. Meetings of the Board are open to the public.
 

District Managment

Other District Information

I LIVE IN A WHAT?

If someone says that you live in a M.U.D., please do not be insulted. All homes in the Teal Run, Teal Run North, Estates of Teal Run, Andover Farms, Cambridge Falls and Winfield Lakes subdivisions are wholly located within Fort Bend County Municipal Utility District No. 23.
What is a M.U.D.?

Municipal Utility Districts exist almost exclusively in Texas and are more abundant in south Texas than other parts of the state. A M.U.D. is created as a mechanism to finance necessary water, sewer and storm drainage construction and maintenance within a subdivision. The districts are created by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) and the city in whose extra-territorial jurisdiction (ETJ) the district lies, must consent to the creation. M.U.D. No. 23 lies within the ETJ of Houston. The city of Houston, therefore, has limited development controls and sole authority to annex M.U.D. No. 23 into its city limits. However, because we are NOT within the city limits of Houston, only the ETJ, we do not pay city of Houston property taxes.

Municipal Utility Districts are run by five-member boards. These board members are elected by registered voters living in the M.U.D. The board members act in a similar capacity as city council members in a municipality. They tend to the affairs of the district and ensure that all water and wastewater facilities the district constructs are in operation and properly maintained. In lieu of a full-time paid staff, districts contract with professionals, such as financial advisors, attorneys, bookkeepers, engineers and operators, to aid the district in its operation.

When a M.U.D. is formed, an estimate is made regarding the cost of water, sewer, and storm drainage facilities needed for "build-out." Build-out is the total number of homes, businesses, schools, etc., in the M.U.D. when development is complete. The residents living in the district then vote to grant the board the authority to issue an amount of bonds to cover ultimate build-out. The board will issue these bonds in phases, as needed, to finance construction projects. Annually, board members adopt a budget and set the property tax rate at a level sufficient to meet the long-term debt obligations, operations and maintenance, and administrative costs of the district.

What about M.U.D. No. 23?

Now that we have discussed M.U.D.s in general, let's talk about our M.U.D.

Fort Bend County M.U.D. No. 23 is located within Fort Bend County, Fort Bend I.S.D., and the City of Houston extra-territorial jurisdiction. It was created February 15, 1978, and currently encompasses 1301 acres containing approximately 3,500 single family homes, three elementary schools, and multiple retail establishments.

M.U.D. 23 has five board members whom are all property owners and live in the district. One Director lives in Teal Run, two live in the Estates of Teal Run and two live in Teal Run North. The board meets twice a month, usually the second Tuesday at 6:00 p.m. at the M. R. Massey Administration Building and the fourth Thursday at 6:00 p.m. in the offices of our attorney. Our fiscal year runs January 1-December 31. The property tax rate for 2007 is $0.95 per $100 valuation. This rate is four (4) cents lower than last year and down from a high of $1.80 in 1992. Based on the 2007 tax rate, annual M.U.D. taxes for a home valued by the Fort Bend Central Appraisal District at $100,000 would be $950. For most of us with mortgages, these taxes are paid by the mortgage company from our escrow account.

The total amount of bonds AUTHORIZED by voters since creation of the district is $90 million. The amount of bonds ISSUED to date is approximately $55 million. When bonds are issued, that means the district actually SELLS that amount in bonds, receives the proceeds to pay for infrastructure construction, and then begins making debt service payments to repay the amount sold. We have the authority to issue up to $90 million, but at this time we have only issued and incurred debt on $55 million.

For any questions regarding water service:

Formerly Aqua Services, LP

Billing and Service: 713-405-1760

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