DENVER — Denver water users are expected to see about a $1 a month increase in their water bills starting Jan. 1, 2020.
The Denver Water board adopted the rate-change Wednesday. Denver Water said the additional funds will help pay for upgrades and projects to keep systems operating efficiently.
"While costs to maintain and upgrade this system continue to rise, we have worked to keep rate increases as small as possible," said Denver Water CEO and manager Jim Lochhead.
For most residents, the $1 increase would take place if they use water at comparable volumes to their 2019 water usage.
Customers outside the city may see a slightly larger increase, at about $1.15 and $1.36 per month using the same volume.
Denver Water has a five-year, $1.4 million capital plan, which included about 140 major projects. The projects focus on maintaining and upgrading infrastructure and ensuring utilities have the flexibility to ensure reliable water supply.
Some projects receiving money from water rates include:
- Building a new water treatment plant
- Installing a new 8.5-mile water pipeline
- Expanding Gross Reservoir
- Constructing a new water quality lab
Denver Water serves 1.4 million people in the Denver metro area. They operate and maintain more than 3,000 miles of pipe, 20 dams, 22 pump stations, 30 underground storage tanks, four treatment plants and more.
Customers will see more information regarding their 2020 rates in their bills and on Denver Water’s website over the next few months.
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