Phoenix City Council votes against proposed water rate hike

PHOENIX – The Phoenix City Council voted against a proposed water rate hike that would have raised revenue to upgrade the city’s outdated and aging water infrastructure.

The proposal failed by a 5-3 vote, but that doesn’t mean it’s dead.

Mayor Thelda Williams initially said yes but changed her vote when she realized the plan wouldn’t pass anyway. That’s because a council member must be on the prevailing side to request that a defeated proposal be reconsidered.

“I’m going to vote no so it can be brought back for reconsideration because this is something that is too important to this city … something that cannot be ignored,” she said.

“Water is essential to not only our lives, the growth of this city and continuation.”

The rates would have gone up an average of 6 percent in February 2019 and another 6 percent in February 2020. The exact impact on customers would have varied depending on water consumption.

In September, Troy Hayes, Phoenix assistant water services director, told KTAR News 92.3 FM that 6 percent translates to about $2.35 per month for the average user.

The increase would have been applied to the fixed monthly service charge, seasonal volume charges and the environmental charge and was expected to produce $24.1 million of additional revenue in the first year and $25 million the second year.

In addition to structural improvements, the funds would have been used to invest in future water needs.

The last water increase was approved in January 2016, which raised rates 3 percent that year and 2 percent in 2017.

“At that time I thought the rate was where it was supposed to be in the sense to cover the infrastructure that was needed,” Councilwoman Laura Pastor said during the meeting.

Kathryn Sorensen, director of the city’s Water Services Department, said circumstances have changed significantly since the last vote, but that didn’t sway enough of the Council to get the measure passed.

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