Background
The Phoenix City Council has approved a 6% water rate increase for 2020. There is no sewer rate increase for 2020. With shortages looming on the Colorado River, Phoenix Water must build the infrastructure needed to pump and move alternative water supplies to portions of our distribution system normally served with Colorado River water. The rate increase will also provide funding for resources needed to invest in rehabilitation and replacement of the pipes, treatment plants, pumps, reservoirs, and wells that ensure reliable delivery of the city's drinking water. The 2020 rate increase will go into affect in March 2020.
How Will the Rate Increase Affect the Water Portion of My City Services Bill?
These rate increases roughly translate into a monthly increase of $2.37 in 2020 for the average residential water customer.
Phoenix water rates contain a generous "allowance" of water that is included each month in the fixed charge. For those that keep their water consumption within this allowance, average monthly bills will increase by only an additional 75¢ per month in 2020. Phoenix water bills rank as among the most affordable in the country.*
Water Rate Increase Fact Sheet (PDF)
Hoja de Datos del Aumento de la Tarifa de Agua (PDF)
Current Water & Sewer Charges
The water rates in Phoenix have three main components: the monthly fixed service charge, volume (usage) charges and environmental charges. Changes were made to water rates in March of 2019. There are a number of component parts to the water rates. Some of the rate components will not change and others will increase or decrease by varying proportions. The changes are designed to result in an overall 6% increase in water revenue in 2019 and 6% in 2020. Individual customers may experience changes to their water and sewer bills that are either greater than or less than 6% depending on a variety of factors such as amount of usage, seasonality of usage, meter size, and customer type such as residential or industrial.
Current Rate Schedule effective March 2019 (PDF)
Monthly Service Charge
The fixed monthly service charge includes six (6) units of water (4,488 gallons) each month during the period from October through May, and ten (10) units of water (7,480 gallons) during the period from June through September. The service charge varies depending upon your meter size and whether you receive service inside or outside the city. Below is the service charge schedule for the current rates. All charges are subject to applicable sales taxes.
Learn more about taxes and other service charge related fees and
download a tax and fee information sheet (PDF)
Monthly Service Charge (Effective March 4, 2019)
| Meter Size | Inside City | Outside City |
|---|
5/8" | $4.25
| $6.38
|
3/4" | $5.56
| $8.34 |
1" | $8.17
| $12.26
|
1 1/2" | $14.72
| $22.08
|
2" | $22.57
| $33.86
|
3" | $40.88
| $61.32
|
4" | $67.05
| $100.58
|
6" | $132.46
| $198.69
|
Water Volume Charges
Volume charges vary with the seasons and are assessed on water usage above the allowance amount included in the fixed monthly service charge. The amount a customer is charged for volume is based on metered consumption, and also varies depending upon whether you receive service inside or outside the city. The volume charge is highest in the summer months (June, July, August, and September) lowest in the winter months (December, January, February and March) and are priced in between during spring and fall months (April, May, October, and November). Below is the volume charge schedule for the rates effective March 4, 2019.
Volume Charges In Excess of Use Included with Monthly Service Charge (Effective March 4, 2019)
| Season | Inside City | Outside City |
|---|
| Low Season (Dec., Jan., Feb., March) | $3.05
| $4.58
|
| Medium Season (April, May, Oct., Nov.) | $3.56
| $5.34
|
| High Season (June, July, Aug., Sept.) | $3.90
| $5.85
|
These rates include a raw water charge of 0.39 inside the city and 0.59 outside the city.
Environmental Charges
Environmental charges are assessed on each unit used and vary depending upon whether you receive service inside or outside the city. Environmental charges are levied as part of the cost to implement unfunded regulations created by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality, or the Maricopa County Department of Environmental Services. Below is the environmental charge schedule for the rates effective March 4, 2019.
Environmental Charges, Cost Per Unit (1 Unit = 748 gallons) (Effective March 4, 2019)
| Note | Inside City | Outside City |
|---|
| Applied to all usage | $0.56
| $0.84
|
Learn more about taxes and other service charge related fees and download a tax and fee information sheet (PDF).
Sewer Charges
Your monthly sewer charge is based on a calculation of a percentage of the average water billed for January through March on your city services bill.
Download a listing of sewer service charges by user category (PDF) to see the sewer charges that apply to the various types of customers and also the percentage of measured water use used for calculation of sewer charges.
Learn more about taxes and other service charge related fees and
download a tax and fee information sheet (PDF).
Learn How to Lower your Monthly Sewer Charge
The best way to lower your monthly sewer charge is to use less water during January through March. To learn about ways to use less water, indoors and outdoors,request literature from the Phoenix Water Conservation Office.
If you own and maintain a swimming pool, another way to lower your sewer and your water charges when you refill the pool, is to do so when the water rates are at their lowest. If you do refill the pool during the months of January, February or March billing cycles, complete and submit a Request for Sewer Fee Adjustment form to request an adjustment to the measured water consumption used for calculation of your sewer charges. The 2019 sewer appeal process ends 60 days after the July billing period and is now closed for 2019. Please note, the 2019 sewer appeal is for 2019 January, February and March billing cycles only. Sewer adjustments will not be made for prior years.
Learn How to Reduce your Monthly Water Charges
Limit your water usage to the allowance amount in the monthly base fee to reduce your costs. The monthly residential water base fee of $4.25 for customers with a 5/8" meter includes 4,488 gallons of water monthly from October through May and 7,480 gallons from June through September. If you use this amount or less, volume charges will not apply; however, environmental charges are assessed to all consumption.
Use low water use plants and drip irrigation to reduce your water consumption. About 50% of water used in a typical residential home is for
outdoor landscaping or swimming pools.
Reduce your consumption in January, February and March of each year and you could reduce your annual sewer costs. Your monthly sewer charge is
calculated on your water usage in those months.
