Queen Creek water customers will soon face a new resource fee designed to fund a $730 million plan to secure the town’s water supply for the next century. The project involves sourcing 3.7 million acre-feet of water. While the overall strategy is in place, the specific amount residents will pay in the first year remains undecided until the Town Council meets on Nov. 18.
On Sept. 16, council members unanimously issued Notices of Intent to establish six utility-related rates, with the new water resource fee as the primary focus. State law mandates a 60-day interval between the notice and a public hearing before rates can be finalized.
Scott McCarty, the town’s deputy city manager and chief financial officer, clarified that the council will only set the fee for the first year. Although officials have discussed a six-year phase-in schedule, McCarty noted that the fee must be approved annually for the first six years to ensure responsible forecasting.
To help residents understand potential costs, the town launched an online calculator at queencreekaz.gov/waterfuture. McCarty emphasized that these fees cover water replenishment rather than consumption. Half of Queen Creek’s customers are connected to the municipal sewer system and will receive a credit for water returned through the wastewater system. The remaining half, who use private sewer or septic systems, are not eligible for this rebate.
Projections indicate significant increases for the average single-family user over the six-year period. For those on the sewer system, the monthly fee is expected to rise from $16 to $57. For water-only customers, the monthly bill is projected to increase from $40 to $138.
Single-family users represent 96% of the town’s water customers. The fees also include costs from the Central Arizona Groundwater Replenishment District, which the town had previously covered for seven years. Officials stated that replenishing local groundwater would cost more in district fees than importing water, a requirement mandated by the Groundwater Act of 1980.
