Houston is beginning to charge most city-served households a new $5 monthly solid-waste fee through their water bills. The change moves part of trash service from the general fund into a utility-style funding model as the city addresses a roughly $180 million general-fund deficit and longstanding collection problems. The ordinance keeps the fee at $5 for fiscal 2027 and 2028 unless Council changes it later and permits an eventual rate up to $25. The policy question is whether dedicated charges should expand as service stabilizes or remain limited. A dedicated trash fee is easier to judge than a buried general-fund expense, but residents should not pay more simply because the city created a new billing line.