Milliken explains 2026 water-rate increase and meter billing issues
The town said the base rate rose 15% and consumption charges 45%, with household impacts varying by use. A meter-equipment communication error sometimes combined replacement-period and current-month usage; residents questioning bills can contact Town Hall.
The Town of Milliken said its water rates increased by an average of 35% in January 2026 after a fall 2025 analysis found the previous rates would not cover the water fund’s operational and capital needs. The base rate rose 15%, while consumption rates rose 45%.
For a household using 2,200 gallons during the winter, the increase is 23%, according to the town’s Sept. 10 statement. For the same household using 22,000 gallons while irrigating outdoors, the increase is 41% during those months. A household irrigating for six months and not irrigating for six months would see a 38% increase over the year.
The town also said a communication error between replacement smart meters and meter-reading equipment caused some billing issues. In some cases, billing software used the previous meter’s usage or an average from prior months; the following month’s bill then included usage from both the replacement period and the current month. “The billing software should have reconciled the billing to not charge the additional usage at a higher tier rate,” the statement said, but the town has identified some accounts where that did not happen. Residents who believe their bills were calculated incorrectly can contact Town Hall to discuss their accounts.