2026 water rate case

Serves Anthem, Buckeye, El Mirage, Fountain Hills, Goodyear, Lake Havasu, Parker, Peoria, Surprise, Tubac, Waddell and Willow Valley communities

Date: June 18

Time: 5:30 – 7 p.m.

Virtual meeting link: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/87562716218

Serves Rio Verde, Tonto and Trilogy communities

Date: June 23

Time: 5:30 – 7:00 p.m.

Virtual meeting link: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/86387184729

Date: June 25

Time: 5:30 – 7 p.m.

Virtual meeting link: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/86886092302

Date: June 23

Time: 11 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.

Location: West-MEC Northwest Campus: 13201 W Grand Ave, Surprise, AZ 85374

Date: June 24

Time: 5:30 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.

Location: Fountain Hills Community Center: 13001 N. La Montana Drive, Fountain Hills, AZ 85268

Date: June 25

Time: 12:30 p.m. – 2 p.m.

Location: Paradise Valley Community Room: 6401 East Lincoln Drive, Paradise Valley, AZ 85253 

Date: June 30

Time: 5 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.

Location: Anthem Civic Building: 3701 W Anthem Way Anthem, AZ 85086

Date: July 1

Time: 11 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.

Location: Sundial Auditorium: 14801 N 103rd Ave, Sun City, AZ 85351 

Date: July 2

Time: 11 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.

Location: West-MEC Verrado Campus: 500 N Verrado Way, Buckeye, AZ 85326

Water rates are reviewed from time to time to match the current cost of providing service.  

For most customers included in this rate case, current water rates are based on costs from 2019, with Rio Verde based on 2021 costs. Since then, costs for labor, materials, power and running water systems have gone up.  

EPCOR has continued investing in water systems, including pipes, wells, treatment and storage, to maintain reliable service and address challenges like aging infrastructure, drought, Colorado River uncertainty and growth. 

This filing proposes updated rates that reflect the current cost of providing safe, reliable water service. 

EPCOR is asking the Arizona Corporation Commission (ACC) to review several changes.  

These changes include bringing some EPCOR districts together under one shared rate structure instead of separate rates, updating how certain costs are handled over time and revising the rate structure for Paradise Valley. 

EPCOR is also proposing, as part of its application, an Annual Rate Adjustment Mechanism (ARAM). This would allow certain costs to be reviewed and updated between full rate cases, instead of waiting several years. Any changes would still require ACC approval before becoming effective. 

It depends on where you live, how much water you use, and what the ACC decides. 

If approved, changes may be phased in over time instead of all at once, though the ACC will decide how any changes are implemented.  

Some customers may see larger increases than others. 

You can view example bill comparisons below. These show what costs could look like if systems stay separate, and what they could look like if the proposed changes are approved and EPCOR’s current water districts (all but Paradise Valley) are unified under one rate structure.   

These examples are estimates and will be reviewed by the ACC. 

You may notice that some costs are shown differently in these examples compared to your current bill.  

Today, some water supply costs are shown as a separate charge on your bill. Under the proposal, some of these costs would be included in base rates, while others may still be recovered through approved adjustment mechanisms. 

This does not change the total cost, but it may change how the bill is shown.

Each water service area has different rates based on the cost of providing service when they were last set. 

Since EPCOR is proposing consolidation, increases vary based on current rates in each area, or “district.” 

Some areas serve fewer customers, need more upgrades or cost more to operate. Because of this, the starting point for rates is different across communities. 

Under the proposal, those differences are addressed over time. If consolidation is approved, some costs would be shared across a larger group of customers, and rates would move closer together as the changes are phased in. 

Consolidation does not change your water quality, your service or how your usage is measured.  

It changes how certain system costs are shared across customers. Today, many systems are priced separately. Under the proposal, some of those costs would be shared across a larger group of communities. 

This is why the examples listed under "How could my bill change?" show different starting points, with rates moving closer together over time. The ACC will review both scenarios before making a decision. 

Under the proposal, some costs would be shared across a larger group of customers rather than being handled by each system on its own.

The ACC will review how those costs are allocated before making a decision.

No. 

This rate case is about updating water rates to reflect the cost of providing safe, reliable service. 

Arizona has long required water providers to plan for future water needs. In some parts of the state, this includes showing there is enough water to meet needs for up to 100 years under state rules for development and water service. 

EPCOR continues to plan carefully for long-term water supply needs. This filing focuses on the cost of operating and maintaining water systems, including infrastructure, treatment and supply planning, not on any immediate shortage of water. 

No.  

EPCOR has requirements for large water users. If a project uses a large amount of water, it may need to secure additional water supplies to meet that demand.  

This rate case reflects overall system costs, not one type of customer or project. 

The Arizona Corporation Commission (ACC) makes the final decision.  

The ACC reviews the proposal, evaluates the data, and considers input from customers. It can approve, modify or reject the proposal. 

If approved, any changes would happen after the ACC completes its review process. This process can take a year or more.

You can attend a community meeting or submit comments to the ACC.  

The review process is public and may take a year or more.