The Nampa City Council voted Wednesday to raise domestic water rates 10% and approved a smaller, 5% hike for the city's pressurized irrigation system after extended deliberation.

City water officials told council the increases are meant to address a backlog of pipe replacements and other aging infrastructure. "We currently maintain about $2 billion in domestic and irrigation infrastructure," John Spencer, Nampa's director of water resources, said during the presentation. Spencer said roughly 160 miles of domestic pipe are at or near the end of life and replacing pipe under the master plan would require substantially larger, near‑term rate jumps.

The rate study, presented by consultant Chris Gonzalez of FCS, outlined scenarios including a full master‑plan build that would have required dramatic increases (examples shown in the study included steep near‑term spikes) and a reduced‑capital scenario that spreads replacements and uses 10% annual increases for several years before reverting to smaller inflationary adjustments. Gonzalez summarized the recommended scenario as a phased approach to avoid emergency repairs that are far costlier than planned replacements.

Council members pressed staff on alternatives. "If we voted no on this tonight, are we going to have more water breakages like Northside throughout the city?" Councilman Griffin asked. Spencer and Gonzalez said continued deferral increases the likelihood of more breaks and higher emergency repair costs: staff estimated emergency repairs can cost many times the planned replacement cost. The presentation cited FY25 figures including 47 major mains breaks and more than $400,000 in line‑break costs for the year.

After public testimony was closed with no speakers signed up, council voted on the domestic water increase and authorized the mayor to sign a resolution making the 10% increase effective Dec. 1, 2025. Roll call recorded a 4–3 result and the motion carried.

The council then considered irrigation rates. Staff had recommended 10% for FY26 (aligned with the domestic recommendation) but noted the irrigation capital need and usage pattern differ from domestic service. A first motion to adopt a 10% irrigation increase failed on roll call. Council later approved a backup motion to raise irrigation rates by 5%, and authorized the mayor to sign a resolution reflecting a 5% increase effective March 1, 2026.

Council members said they weighed the impact on residents, particularly those on fixed incomes, against the long‑term costs of deferring infrastructure spending. "Sometimes it's the difference in what the food that they eat literally because their income hasn't gone up," the mayor said during debate. Other council members argued that planned replacements are far cheaper than repeated emergency work.

The council directed staff to include the increased revenues in the capital improvement plan and to provide tracking in the budget process so the public can see how additional rate revenue is allocated. Staff said they would return with more detailed project lists tied to the recommended funding increases.