GILBERT, AZ — Gilbert residents packed town council chambers on Tuesday for the second time this month, demanding answers to rising water bills.
Frustrated residents say their bills have tripled in the past few years.
“People are hurting,” said Gilbert resident Bill Spence.
He asked town leaders to repeal water rates back to 2023 levels before a series of sharp increases went into effect. He suggested the rates that they are currently being charged are not “just and reasonable” as required by the Arizona Constitution.
“It’s tearing the community apart,” he said.
Sara Barker, a resident since 1991, described being “blindsided” when she recently opened a bill for $700.
“There’s no way I used that much water,” she said.
Town leaders have said several factors are driving up bills: phased-in increases over the last two years, new water meters and a new billing system that went into effect June 30.
Town officials announced Tuesday that an audit of those water meters could start as early as next week. They are also planning a series of listening sessions, the first scheduled from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Monday, November 6, at Gilbert Town Hall.
A water rate increase of 50% in April 2024 was followed by another 25% increase in April of this year. This was coupled with a $30 monthly increase in sewer rates the same month this year.
And the pain is not over. Another 25% increase in water rates is planned for April 2026.
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Jessica Marlow, the town’s public works director, said at a meeting earlier this month that the increases are vital to ensuring the town’s future water supply, including upgrades to the North Water Treatment Plant and nine new wells.
Marlow said the town is also changing out water meters as they age. She said the new meters are more sensitive. Small leaks that went undetected in the old system may show up as higher usage with the new meters. She announced at a town council meeting earlier this month that the town is ordering an independent audit of the meters.
“If there’s a meter error, we will adjust it,” she said.
On June 30, the town also switched to a new billing system that doesn't automatically enroll residents into automatic billing. Marlow said there are unpaid balances that are carrying over as a result.
She said the town is planning to hire temporary workers to reduce wait times for customer-service calls. She urged residents to call if they have questions about their bills.
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