California’s Metropolitan Water District Hits Residents with Double-Digit Increases
California’s Metropolitan Water District (MWD) is implementing consecutive rate increases that are leaving millions of residents facing significantly higher water bills. For customers of the MWD, water rates will increase by 8.5 percent in 2025 and another 8.5 percent in 2026. The district serves 19 million people across Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Diego, and Ventura counties, making this one of the largest water rate increases affecting American households.
The increases stem from multiple climate-related pressures. The increases are necessary to offset revenue lost during recent droughts and record-breaking rain, agency leaders say. Additionally, the district indicated the rate hikes are essential to cover the costs of importing and treating water, which often travels hundreds of miles from northern parts of the state or the Colorado River.
Colorado’s Water Utilities Navigate Infrastructure Demands
Denver Water customers are experiencing steady rate increases as the utility undertakes what it calls “once in a lifetime” infrastructure projects. The rate changes will take effect Jan. 1, 2025, and will increase bills for most single-family customers by an average of $2 to $3 per month, depending on whether the customer lives in Denver or in one of our suburban water districts. For annual usage patterns, single-family residential customers who receive a bill from Denver Water, have a 3/4-inch meter, and use 104,000 gallons of water in 2025 as they did in 2024, can expect their annual cost of water to rise by a range of $25 to $36.
The Fort Collins-Loveland Water District is implementing even more dramatic changes. Customers should also know that the rate study recommended that we begin a 30% rate increase in 2024 and continue 30% increases for four to five years in a row. This represents one of the steepest sustained rate increase schedules in the nation as utilities grapple with aging infrastructure and climate adaptation costs.
Arizona Cities Face Water Security Challenges
Arizona municipalities are implementing substantial rate increases to address water security concerns in an increasingly arid climate. The Town of Queen Creek has proposed a 15% increase in water rates, which equates to $3-$6 per month for most residential customers. Remarkably, this is the first utility rate adjustment for residential customers in more than 15 years…