Ute Water adopts drought rates

Ute Water Conservancy District said May 19 that it is adopting drought rates for the first time since 1977, a move that will raise bills for heavier users as western Colorado heads into summer under strained water conditions. The district said the change follows below-average snowpack, early runoff, below-normal stream flows, limited basin storage, irrigation shortages and reduced water availability across the Colorado River Basin. (gjsentinel.com) The board approved the rates in May, and the district said they will appear on bills beginning in July for water used in June. (utewater.org) Customers who stay at or below 3,000 gallons will continue to pay $28.00, according to Ute Water’s rates page. ### Why is Ute Water changing rates now? Ute Water said current hydrologic conditions pushed the board to act after what it described as a dry year with an early runoff pattern. The district’s drought-response page says the system is under added pressure as summer outdoor watering demand rises and supplies remain limited. The Grand Junction Daily Sentinel reported May 19 that officials cited below-average snowpack and early runoff when announcing the change. Ute Water’s own drought-response page lists the same broad pressures and says average customer usage this spring rose about 25%, further straining the system. (gjsentinel.com) ### When will customers see the higher charges? July 2026 is when the new drought rates start appearing on bills, but the charges apply to water used in June 2026, according to Ute Water. The district posted the timing on both its drought-response page and its rates page. (utewater.org) The district said customers using 3,000 gallons or less will see no change to the minimum bill, which remains $28.00. Above that level, charges increase under the drought schedule published by Ute Water, including a 2026 drought-rate calculator and billing tables for standard residential meter sizes. (gjsentinel.com) ### How unusual is this move for the district? Ute Water and local news reports said this is the first time the district has implemented drought or emergency rates in nearly 50 years. WesternSlopeNow, citing the district, said the last such use was in 1977. That history gives the May vote unusual weight for customers in the Grand Valley because the district has not previously needed to activate this part of its rate structure in decades. (utewater.org) Ute Water’s public materials frame the move as a response to current supply conditions rather than a permanent redesign of its pricing system. ### What is Ute Water asking customers to do? (utewater.org) Outdoor watering is the main pressure point identified by the district. Ute Water’s drought-response page says summer demand, especially for outdoor irrigation, puts added strain on the system, and an April report by The Business Times said the utility had already asked customers not to use treated drinking water for outdoor irrigation. (utewater.org) The district has also posted a formal drought-response plan and online billing materials so customers can estimate how usage will affect their monthly charges. Those materials are now the main reference points for households deciding how much water to use before the July bills arrive. (utewater.org) ### Where can customers check the new rates? Ute Water has published the new schedule on its rates page and a separate 2026 drought-rate calculator. The rates page says the posted tables apply to 5/8-inch, 3/4-inch and 1-inch meters, while larger non-residential customers should refer to a separate exhibit. (utewater.org) July 2026 is the next concrete milestone. Ute Water said that is when bills reflecting June usage under the drought schedule will begin going out, and the district’s drought-response and rates pages remain the public source for the updated charges. (utewater.org 1) (utewater.org 2) (utewater.org 3)