Pueblo City Council Approves 3.5 Percent Water and Sewer Rate Increase Affecting Household Budgets

The Pueblo City Council passed Resolution 2026-47 on July 7 at City Hall in a 5-2 vote that sets new water and sewer rates for the 2026-2027 fiscal year. The measure raises residential charges by 3.5 percent while leaving the property tax mill levy unchanged at 8.75 mills. It applies to the 42,000 residential accounts served by the Pueblo Water Department.

Operational expenses for treatment chemicals and pipeline repairs have risen since the 2025 budget was adopted, according to the city's utility financial statements. Council members reviewed those figures during the meeting before approving the rate table that appears in Attachment A of the resolution.

Effects on Typical Pueblo Household Expenses

A household using 5,000 gallons per month will pay an additional $4.20 each billing cycle under the updated schedule. That amount covers both the fixed service charge and the volume rate, which together form the standard residential bill calculated by the department's billing system. Property owners whose taxes remain at the current mill levy will see no automatic change to their annual assessment statements mailed in November.

City records from 2025 show the median residential water and sewer bill stood at $48.60 before the adjustment. The new rates are projected to produce $1.2 million in additional revenue, all of which the 2026 budget paper earmarks for capital projects at the Whitlock Treatment Plant.

Implementation Timeline and Next Actions

Rate changes take effect with bills issued after September 1. The council scheduled two public information sessions for August 12 and August 19 at the Pueblo Convention Center to explain the billing formula to residents. No further council action is required before the rates are applied to customer accounts.