Overview
- Scottsdale City Council voted last week to raise water rates by 4.5% and sewer rates by 3.5% to secure revenue for higher electricity costs, infrastructure replacement, and new water supplies.
- Mayor Lisa Borowsky hosted a public town hall on Wednesday at the Granite Reef Senior Center with water-law expert Rhett Larson to explain the decisions and answer residents’ questions.
- Officials and experts say about 70% of Scottsdale’s supply comes from the Colorado River and that large, costly cuts to river deliveries are now likely rather than a sudden loss of water.
- City leaders are pursuing a mix of responses including buying additional water, expanding reuse and purification, investing in storage and infrastructure, and urging steep cuts to outdoor residential use to lower bills.
- Residents are told the most immediate way to limit bill increases is to reduce outdoor watering, and officials warn that replacing cheap river water will raise costs over multiple years.