Denver Water’s board will vote on a 5.5 percent rate hike next month to pay for improvements and repairs to its system.
If approved, the rates would increase for the 21st year in a row. Last year, the board raised rates by 5 percent.
The increase would take effect in January, costing the average residential Denver customer another $19.43 a year, about $1.62 a month, according to Denver Water.
Suburban customers pay more: The average bill there would rise about $2.84 per month, or $34.11 a year.
The five-member utility board will vote on the increase at its Sept. 28 meeting. Public comments can be sent to dbwc@denverwater.org or phoned in to 303-628-6320. The board also will take comments at the Sept. 28 meeting, which begins at 9 a.m. at its headquarters at 1600 W. 12th Ave. in Denver.
The increase will help pay for a watershed protection initiative, expanding the utility’s recycled water system and a pipe rehabilitation and replacement program.
“We are keenly aware of our need to spend our customers’ dollars wisely,” Angela Bricmont, Denver Water’s finance director, stated in a press release. “That’s why we’ve reduced our budget for 2012 and have launched an organization-wide efficiency initiative to keep us as lean as possible.”
Denver Water serves about 1.3 million customers in Denver and many of its suburbs.
Customers who use more would pay more, the utility noted. The 5.5 percent increase also would apply to commercial and government customers.
The utility, which is funded solely through rates and customer fees, owns and maintains more than 3,000 miles of pipes, 12 reservoirs, 22 pump stations and four treatment plants.
Denver Water cited the system’s upkeep and improvements for its increase last year.
Rates rose 17 percent between 2007 and 2009.
