Chandler official says aging pipes and inflation are behind proposed utility rate increase

Chandler’s budget director says the city’s proposed utility rate increases are driven by aging infrastructure and inflation.

“We have a planned out 10-year capital improvement project. And so, these rates actually support that 10 year project,” Chandler budget and policy director Matt Dunbar said in an Aug. 17 interview with KTAR News 92.3 FM.

The city is proposing increases of 9% for water, 6.5% for wastewater, 9% for reclaimed water and 4.5% for solid waste. That will add about $5.73 a month for a home using 10,000 gallons of water.

Dunbar said specific projects funded by the increases include refurbishing a 66-inch main sewer line, water treatment plant improvements and water main line and valve replacements in north and northwest Chandler.

“We don’t just charge rates because we feel like it or because others are doing it. We do it based on actual need,” Dunbar said.

He said the proposed rate increase could have been even higher, if not for cost-saving measures, such as recently installed solar panels.

The City Council will hold a public hearing Oct. 15, with a final vote Nov. 19. If approved, the new rates take effect Jan. 4, 2027.

KTAR News 92.3 FM’s Kylie Werner and Kellen Shover contributed to this report.

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