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Metro Water presents tentative $123.7M FY27 budget and proposes 6% rate increase to member cities
Summary
Metropolitan Water District of Salt Lake and Sandy presented a tentative FY2026-27 budget near $123,700,000 and proposed a 6% rate increase to member cities and non-member entities, citing higher costs from partner agencies, rising utility prices and capital project needs; major capital projects highlighted include the Cottonwoods Connection and Little Cottonwood Water Treatment Plant design.
Officials from the Metropolitan Water District of Salt Lake and Sandy reviewed their tentative FY2026-27 budget and defended a proposed 6% increase to rates charged to member cities and non-member entities. Austin Kimmel introduced the district's role and budget context; Annalie Muncy, Metro Water general manager, gave a detailed overview of water sources, facilities and capital needs.
"The Metropolitan Water District of Salt Lake and Sandy is here to present its tentative budget for the 20 26, 20 27 fiscal year," Austin Kimmel said, noting the council shares review responsibility with Sandy City. Annalie Muncy told the council the district's total budget is "nearly $123,700,000," an increase of about $12 million from the prior year and driven by higher costs from other agencies, utility price increases and expanded capital projects.
Muncy described Metro's primary water sources (the Provo River project and Deer Creek Reservoir, Little Cottonwood Creek, the Central Utah Project and the Ontario Drain tunnel) and noted that drought and variable snowpack can reduce available supply. She said several infrastructure elements (Salt Lake Aqueduct, Little Cottonwood Conduit, and the Little Cottonwood Water Treatment Plant) have reached design life and will require replacement or rehabilitation to meet seismic and operational standards.
Council members asked about how conservation affects Metro's revenues and planning. Metro staff said member-city billing is fixed annually (limiting short-term revenue volatility) but the district plans conservatively and anticipates future capital needs that may require bond issuance. Staff also highlighted a pending ribbon-cutting for a Deer Creek intake project and said bond timing for several projects may slip depending on construction schedules.
