(GILBERT) -- The Town of Gilbert hosted three listening sessions to help residents understand the reasons behind their extremely costly utility bills.
Photo credit: Teri Tracy
OpGov.ai attended the second of the three sessions, focusing on the measures being taken not only to inform residents but also to make resources available to those in need of assistance with their bills.
The Nov. 18 listening session was packed with residents who brought their concerns to discuss with the many city council members and public works representatives who came prepared with presentations, detailed explanations, and direct access to the town’s utility customer service department.
While many residents walked away from the session better informed and with payment plans on their due billing amounts, the big question still stands: Is this the new cost of living in Gilbert, and will the town take any steps to mitigate the unruly cost of clean water within its limits?
Town Spokesperson Joanna Guzman communicated on behalf of the town to clarify many questions left unanswered.
In an email sent to OpGov.ai, Guzman outlined the increases in their entirety, explaining that multiple factors will influence the council’s decision to implement either an additional increase of 25% in April 2026, or two increases of 14% in 2026 and 2027, respectively.
“In December 2025, the Council will consider these recommendations along with a recommendation to issue a Notice of Intent to increase rates to support the completion of these critical upgrades,” she stated.
Analyzing the community’s response to the most recent rate increases, however, many residents won’t be able to afford yet another sudden, drastic increase. Another vital contributor Guzman shared for the increases is the declining state of the Colorado river and the Salt and Verde River Watersheds, which pose an increased threat to the health and safety of residents as far as water quality is concerned.
“Gilbert’s water rates directly support critical improvements to our water infrastructure, “ Guzman points out, “These are investments that are essential to ensuring a safe and reliable water supply for years to come.”
Several residents who spoke at recent town council meetings also raised concerns about the new water meters being installed to replace outdated and faulty equipment. Mueller, the company that produces the new water meters in question, has several open lawsuits against it from other towns and cities who are facing problems with equipment malfunctions.
Photo credit: Teri Tracy
During the listening session on Nov. 15, Senior Utility Technician John Simanten explained that the first major issue causing bills to skyrocket was not with the meters themselves, but rather with the radio devices that transmit usage data.
The town recently hired Kimley-Horn, an engineering firm, to perform a third-party audit on the new water meter equipment to further analyze for any potential malfunctions. While the audit is still in its early stages, Guzman assured that it will be completed in roughly 4 to 6 months, at which time the council will reassess whether any other action is needed.
The scope and budget of this audit were largely unexpected, according to Guzman. “Because of the unplanned nature of the water meter audit project, the Town of Gilbert did not include a formal budget for it during the annual budgeting process,” Guzman explained, “However, the Town maintains contingency funds for unanticipated needs.”
She reiterated that the Water Operations fund will be used to cover this cost.
Guzman also included several resources for residents of Gilbert to promote awareness of potential issues that could be impacting their bill further, such as water leaks and usage within a tiered billing structure, as well as issues accessing the new billing portal, which she stated will be set up to send out alerts to customers again by the end of the year.
While the town has brought on new employees to improve access to utility customer service and has offered resources such as leak inspections, will this be enough to prevent residents from being priced out of Gilbert altogether, amid the already rising cost of living?
If you have any comments or questions, please email me at teri.t@lead4earth.org.
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