City Council approves issuance of bonds for water and wastewater infrastructure and 2023 rates for water customers and developers

ARVADA – The City of Arvada City Council approved the water, wastewater and stormwater rates and fees as well as System Development Charges (SDC) for 2023. The City further recommended, and City Council approved, the issuance of approximately $100 million in bond funding to support continued investment in our critical water and sewer infrastructure. 

The customer-paid water rates and fees will support necessary reinvestment in existing infrastructure to ensure the City can continue to deliver clean, safe drinking water and collect wastewater. The developer-paid SDCs will support necessary expansion of infrastructure to ensure the City has adequate capacity to serve new and future water customers. 

In tandem with the bond funding, these sources of revenue will support a variety of short and long term projects to repair, replace and expand City water and wastewater infrastructure, much of which is nearing the end of its useful life or capacity limitations. In 2023, these investments include:

Rehabilitation of parts of the 60 year old Ralston Water Treatment Plant

Replacement of aging water lines

Planning and designing for the replacement of the 40 year old Arvada Water Treatment Plant

Wastewater pipeline expansion, repairs and replacement projects. 

The Utilities Department’s mission is to provide safe and reliable drinking water, wastewater and stormwater collection, waste hauling, fleet management, mapping, and billing services to the Arvada community. These efforts support the goals outlined in the City Council’s Strategic Plan directing the City team to update the water, sewer and stormwater master plans and develop plans to address all findings.

More details about the City’s utilities master planning can be found at arvada.org/utilities-transparency. Additional information about the increased customer rates and fees and SDCs can be found at arvada.org/water-sewer-rates.