“Our promise to our creditors is that we will, in fact, faithfully and responsibly collect revenues from our customers. Publicly owned infrastructure is covered by bonds in Phoenix, which brings the promise of more revenue during an “abnormally hot” summer, Sorensen says. The economic collapse triggered by the pandemic has also crippled city and state budgets. “For example, when the stimulus checks came out, we saw a big surge in payment of past delinquencies.” “I think they understand that if they can't keep up with their bills now, that a much larger one is coming down the road,” she says. While there have been a higher number of missed payments than usual, Sorensen says most of the utility’s 1.5 million customers are continuing to pay their bills. We kind of are playing it day by day and seeing how things go.” “So I do see us potentially extending probably at least for a few more months, maybe even longer than that. “Summers here are always hot, but even for us, this one's been pretty bad,” she says.

But now the city is facing some tough decisions.Ĭity leaders are considering an extension to the moratorium on water shut off due to the pandemic, says Kathryn Sorensen, director of the Phoenix Water Services Department. Like many cities across the country, Phoenix announced in March that it wouldn’t cut off water through the summer if people don’t pay their bills. The city has also been a COVID-19 hotspot, and as Congress remains deadlocked on pandemic relief, many people will struggle to pay their rent next month - and probably their utility bills, too. Phoenix officially recorded its hottest summer on record this week with an average high of nearly 108 degrees.

(Martin Bernetti/AFP via Getty Images) This article is more than 2 years old. All rights reserved.Water trickles out of a faucet. They want people to go to this site to see if they qualify.Ĭopyright 2023 KTVK/KPHO. The city acknowledges this could cause issues with affordability but says several programs in place could help. The City of Phoenix’s website has a list of the meetings here. There are at least 15 planned meetings citywide to explain these hikes to taxpayers, and city resources and programs are available for those who are unable to pay their bill. The city council could vote on the proposal sometime in June. If you’re doing more than that right now, you’re using more water than you need to outside,” Wilson said. “On average, we find that even during the hottest months of the year, for the thirstiest plants, June with grass, you still don’t need to be watering those plants more than twice a week. The monthly service charge, according to a document posted by City of Phoenix officials, includes 4.488 gallons of water from October through May, and 7,480 gallons of water for June through September. Max Wilson, the Water Conservation Coordinator for the City of Phoenix, says residents can take steps to ease the impact of rate hikes and avoid the proposed surcharge for not conserving water. “We really want our customers to go out and look at their water usage and reduce it down.” “If they use more water, then the price goes up,” said Hayes. It’s called a water allowance and hasn’t changed since 1990. Right now, he said customers are paying a base fee according to a specific amount of water use. “Our personnel costs have gone up and then the raw water costs, the cost we have to pay to actually buy water from the Colorado River system or from the Salt and Verde River have all gone up all of those adding pressure on the utilities,” Hayes said. But that’s not the only thing driving up the need for an increase. He says what the city pays for in electricity and chemicals to treat the water is climbing. Each time the average water users bill would go up $2 or so on the 6.5,” said Troy Hayes, the Water Services Director for Phoenix. “We are looking at a 6.5% revenue increase in October of 23, a 6.5% in march of 24 and a 13% in march of 2025. The City of Phoenix says it’s looking to increase water prices up to 13%, and for the first time ever if you don’t conserve water, you could even see a $4 surcharge. The city’s Water Services Department is proposing higher rates in response to inflation. PHOENIX (3TV/CBS 5) - Phoenix homeowners could soon see their water bill go up.

City of phoenix water bill history