MARANA, Ariz. (KGUN) — Marana Water customers could see higher bills starting next year after the town council adopted a notice of intention to increase both water and wastewater rates over the next several years.
The motion passed with a 7-0 vote at the meeting on Tuesday, November 4.
The proposed rate increases would be 10.5% per year for water and 2.5% per year for reclamation rates through 2030, following the town's most recent water rate study.
Before this most recent study, the last one was completed in 2019.
"The rates that we have today, will not project us into the future with all of the inflationary costs that everybody knows about, operational costs, the expansion of the town in general as we continue to grow and get additional customers – that also increases the amount of maintenance that we have to do year over year," said Heidi Lasham, Water Director for the Town of Marana.
She says that an average family of four that uses about 7,000 gallons of water per month can expect to see about a $7 increase in their monthly bill during the first year.
"And then they'll have another increase the next year and the next up to five years – up through 2030 is what we're looking at," Lasham said.
According to a presentation given at the October 21 council meeting, Marana Water has 12,595 water customers and 7,862 water reclamation customers.
"So some customers will have both Marana water and wastewater or reclamation, and other customers might just have water and some might just have sewer and then on the flipside, they may have Tucson water or Pima County wastewater," Lasham said.
The town will hold two public meetings:
- Thursday, November 13
- 5 p.m. – 6 p.m.
- Marana Police Community Room, 11555 W. Civic Center Drive, Marana, AZ 85653
- Wednesday, November 19
- 5 p.m. – 6 p.m.
- Rattlesnake Ridge Elementary School, 8500 N. Continental Reserve Loop, Tucson, AZ 85743
These will be followed by a public hearing at the January 6 council meeting. If passed, the new rates are planned to go into effect in February.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
——
Madison Thomas joined KGUN 9 in July of 2023 as a multimedia journalist. She graduated from Arizona State University in May of 2023 with a degree in journalism and mass communication. She has lived in Arizona her entire life and grew up in Douglas. Madison is thrilled to share the stories from the community she grew up in. Share your story ideas and important issues with Madison by emailing madison.thomas@kgun9.com or by connecting on Instagram, Twitter or Facebook.
