Mayor: Lake Havasu City holds roughly 29,000 acre‑feet of Colorado River entitlements; officials urge conservation and note planned small water/sewer rate steps

During a public Q&A on Sept. 12, Mayor Cal Sheehy and City Manager Jessica Knudson addressed residents' questions about long‑term water supplies and utility rates. Sheehy said Lake Havasu City holds about 29,000 acre‑feet of Colorado River water entitlements and currently uses roughly 15,000–16,000 acre‑feet per year. “We are in a good position from a water, perspective of what we have within our community,” Sheehy said, but he cautioned that entitlements matter “only if that water's there,” noting basin‑wide hydrology and ongoing post‑2026 operating rule negotiations among the seven Colorado River basin states. Sheehy described the city’s limited ability to diversify water sources because of local hydrogeology and said the mayor’s office participates in state and inter‑state discussions with the Arizona Department of Water Resources and governor’s water committees. “We are at the table… and making sure that Lake Havasu City and other river communities do not have any other option than Colorado River water,” he said. Knudson said the council adopted a multi‑year rate plan after a formal rate study that modeled water and wastewater infrastructure needs over 5–20 years; the adopted five‑year rate strategy phases small, incremental increases intended to fund capital replacement and operations while avoiding steep spikes in household bills. She said the increases began in the most recent billing cycle and are tied to the city’s water and wastewater capital program, including mains replacement projects mentioned elsewhere in the meeting.