Denver residents will pay on average $1 more per month in 2020 for their water use.

On Wednesday the Denver Water Board of Commissioners adopted new prices beginning Jan. 1. All residential customers will have slightly higher fixed rates, as well as per-gallon rates.

“Our rates will fund important projects like building a new state-of-the-art water treatment plant and laboratory, expanding a key reservoir, and the ongoing replacement of aging water pipes,” said CEO/Manager Jim Lochhead. “While costs to maintain and upgrade this system continue to rise, we have worked to keep rate increases as small as possible.”

Denver Water’s infrastructure contains 3,000 miles of pipe, 20 dams, 22 pump stations, and 30 underground storage tanks. The increased charges will go towards maintaining and expanding facilities. 

There are 140 major projects in the utility’s five-year capital plan. These include constructing a new water treatment plant, expanding Gross Reservoir in Boulder County, and replacing $148 million worth of piping.

Denver Water serves 1.4 million people and has infrastructure in 12 counties. Customers living outside Denver will pay approximately 15-36 percent more under the new rate structure.

Last year, Denver Water raised suburban customers’ rates by between $1.90 and $3.40 per month. This compared to 55 cents per month for Denver customers.

According to the utility, suburban customers receive higher charges for three reasons: lot sizes (and thus water consumption) are typically greater, the Denver charter requires a surcharge, and fees from development are credited back to customers in the service area, meaning that rapid growth in Denver results in higher credits to Denver ratepayers.