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El Mirage council approves water rate increase after contentious public hearing; meter replacement debated
Summary
After a public hearing that drew residents’ objections, the El Mirage Common Council approved Resolution R25-54 to raise water rates 3% and authorize work tied to a planned citywide meter replacement. The vote followed an earlier failed motion and a successful reconsideration that passed 4–3.
The Common Council of the City of El Mirage on May 6 approved Resolution R25-54, establishing changes to water and wastewater rate components that include a 3% water rate increase in fiscal years 2026 and 2027 and a move to a flat sewer rate. The resolution passed after the council first rejected the measure and then voted to reconsider and adopt it 4–3.
The action matters because the rate change is the revenue mechanism identified by staff to pay for a planned replacement of the city’s aging water meters. Public Works staff told the council there are 12,000 water meters in the city that would be replaced under the project; the capital estimate in the budget materials for the meter replacement was $8,500,000. Public comments said residents are already facing rising costs and urged the council not to raise rates.
At the start of the public hearing, several residents urged the council to hold or reduce any increase. “If there’s any way you can not raise the water, that would be…
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