Your ABQ water bill could go up 12%. Here's what to know.
Apr. 18—Increasing costs for fuel, power and chemicals could push up your water and sewer bill. At a May 8 meeting of the Albuquerque Bernalillo County Water Utility Authority governing board, the group will decide whether to approve a 12% adjustment in base rates.
Why the increase?
Water authority staff have pointed to increasing operational costs for water and sewer services.
"Operational costs have risen significantly," governing board chair Eric Olivas said in a statement. "... Construction costs are running as much as 70% higher than anticipated in some cases."
The last time the water authority increased rates was in 2022.
What's the impact?
A typical single-family customer using about 5,000 gallons of water per month would see a bill increase of around $6. In total, it's still cheaper than the average bills for Rio Rancho and Santa Fe, according to a release from the water authority, with the average Rio Rancho bill running almost double a comparable Albuquerque/Bernalillo County bill.
When will I see the increased costs?
If approved, the new rates would go into effect July 1. The May meeting will be at 5 p.m. in the Vincent E. Griego Chambers, located in the basement of One Civic Plaza Government Center. The governing board includes county commissioners, city councilors and Albuquerque Mayor Tim Keller.
