Irvine : Water Bills Rise 7.6% This Month

Residents will pay an extra $1 per month for water under a new rate structure that takes effect this month.

Irvine Ranch Water District customers will see their monthly water bills increase by 7.6%. For an average household that uses 13,500 gallons of water a month, the bill will rise from $13.90 to $14.95, said Ron Young, the general manager.

Young said the changes were necessary after the Municipal Water District increased its wholesale water prices. He also attributed the rate hikes to increases in the cost of power and in the amount the district must pay to maintain the ground-water supply.

Commercial water customers will also see their monthly rates rise by 7.6%.

At the same time, the district decided to reduce by a nickel the rate that residents pay for sewer service. For the average customer, that means a decrease to $7.90 a month from $7.95.

Reduced operating costs and increases in reclaimed water sales prompted the rate decrease, Young said.