11-09-26 Water Resources Advisory Board Meeting

The City of Boulder Water Resources Advisory Board met on November 9, 2026. The board approved the prior meeting minutes 4–0, then received public comment and a staff/consultant presentation on the water utility cost-of-service and rate study. No contract awards, vendor selections, or procurement approvals were identified. The study’s financial forecast includes approximately $164 million in water capital spending for FY2027–FY2031 and a planned $47.1 million bond issue in FY2028, expected to generate about $3.7 million in annual debt service beginning in FY2029. Staff said the capital program and timing will be reviewed further during the 2028 budget cycle; these figures were presented for planning purposes, not approved as a spending action at this meeting.

Staff and NuGen outlined preliminary rate scenarios, including retaining customer-specific water budgets with adjustments for some customer classes, moving certain commercial and multifamily accounts to simpler meter-size-based structures, and keeping the current rate structure through 2027, with any approved changes taking effect in January 2028. The forecast assumes the already-approved 5% FY2027 increase and approximately 7.5% annual increases for FY2028–FY2031 under the status quo scenario. Board members and the public commented on water-budget communication, drought management, urban agriculture, affordability, and customer impacts; staff will refine the proposals based on feedback. A plant investment fee analysis is scheduled for January, followed by a planned board recommendation in February. No rate-study or capital-spending motion was taken.