Riverton approves modest utility rate increases after public questions over timing and fairness

The Riverton City Council on April 15 adopted three separate resolutions adjusting user fees for municipal enterprise funds: a 5% increase to the water system (Resolution 15-20), a 5% increase to the wastewater system (Resolution 15-21), and a 2% increase to sanitation fees (Resolution 15-22). The increases take effect with the current billing cycle.

Administrative Services Director Miss Harris told the council the city’s utility funds remain operationally solvent but face growing capital demands. “For fiscal year 2025, the water fund's operational revenue projections exceeded expenditures by just $69,173,” Harris said, adding that the council had approved a $346,000 transfer from reserves to address capital needs. She said wastewater operations exceeded expenditures by $251,277 but require transfers to fund postponed capital projects, and sanitation shows an operational surplus but requires reserve transfers for planned equipment purchases.

Harris presented sample household bills showing the likely customer impact: ‘‘A 3/4-inch meter with typical usage would see an increase of about $2.89 per month; a household using about 4,000 gallons would see roughly a $4.29 per month increase for all services,’’ she said. The revenue effect the city projected was roughly $149,475 per year for the water fund, $129,000 for wastewater and about $50,200 for sanitation under the proposed adjustments.

Public commenters and several councilmembers pressed for clearer public communication and context. Martin Kanaan, who said he had requested material before the meeting, urged the council to explain how prior rate increases relate to inflation and what projects the money is being saved for. “When you tell me you’re increasing my utility rates… the general public goes, what’s going on?” Kanaan said.

Resident Linda Drury told council a local fire hydrant by her home has not worked for many years, illustrating constituents’ frustration when bills rise but visible repairs feel slow. “Where I live, our fire hydrant has not worked ever,” Drury said. Public works staff said hydrant and line work are on planned projects and that the city will follow up on specific locations.

Several councilmembers emphasized the council’s responsibility to maintain drinking-water safety and avoid deferred maintenance that could lead to much larger costs later. Councilwoman Karen Johnson said she would not support rate increases this year because of resident hardship, while other members agreed the increases were modest relative to projected capital needs and took steps to approve the resolutions. Each resolution passed at the meeting.

Staff noted federal and state funding programs exist for large capital projects — including Wyoming Water Development Commission resources and state revolving funds — but those programs require the city to cover debt service and generally supplement rather than replace the need for local rate revenue.

The council directed staff to finalize rate tables and public-notice language for the billing cycle and to continue public outreach describing the capital needs the increases are meant to address.