The leftover turkey is gone, and January blues are settling in, but Herriman City has an unexpected piece of good news to cheer up residents. Rather than the planned water rate increase of 13% expected to take effect last month, the city council instead approved a culinary and secondary rate increase of 6.5% at a November council meeting. The increase was effective on Dec. 1.

In early 2024, an independent consultant conducted a water rate study for the city, resulting in steep projected yearly hikes: 13% for 2026 and 2027, 10% for 2028 and 3% thereafter. A 16.3% increase also took effect on Oct. 1, 2024, ahead of the 2025 irrigation season.  

Both culinary and secondary water rates increased 6.5% last year. (Photo courtesy Herriman City)

“The 2024 model (which included the five-year plan of several increases) was built on a variety of factors, including a combination of rate increases and bonds to cover operating expenses, expected repairs and infrastructure replacements,” Herriman's Communications Manager Jonathan La Follette said. “[In 2024]… the city council voted to approve the October 2024 increase to make sure our water fund stays in the black and not in the red. We have to be able to fund operations.”

Last fall, the city reevaluated the 2024 study and opted to revisit the projected 2025 increase. The city received less rainfall than expected in 2025, and residents used more water, resulting in additional revenue for Herriman’s Water Fund. “After updating the financial model with more recent information about costs, water usage and planned projects, the council approved a smaller 6.5% increase for 2026 instead,” the city said on its website. 

“We’re being careful to… not [overburden] residents,” La Follette said. “The costs of everything in all our lives are going up, and we’re sensitive to that.”

The extra revenue and lower-than-anticipated operating and repair costs prompted the city to amend the increase timeline, using some of the additional funds to soften the blow of December’s rate jump. “With that updated information, the council chose to use some of the reserve funding to offset the next planned increases, intending to… only raise… what is needed,” La Follette said.

Herriman’s updated plan now projects yearly increases of 6.5% through 2029, though future hikes will be reevaluated yearly, updated as needed and officially approved. “[In 2026], we're expecting another 6.5%; but it may be higher, it may be lower,” La Follette said.

The additional revenue from increases helps the city keep pace with rising operating costs and infrastructure that isn’t getting any younger. “The goal of the updated plan is to keep the Water Fund… on a solid footing so the system remains safe, reliable and well-maintained over time, while avoiding higher fees than are necessary,” the city said on its website.

Residents are encouraged to conserve water to help lower water bills. Visit slowtheflow.org for tips. (Photo courtesy Herriman City)

“This helps save up long-term… to pay for infrastructure replacement as it comes up,” La Follette said. “We can't charge developers for the replacement of infrastructure. That has to come from the city.”

Though the increase is lower than expected, the city acknowledges that it is still an increase. 

“We're… cognizant of that impact,” Herriman's Mayor Lorin Palmer said. “Nobody's getting rich off of this. We're just covering our costs to bring water to the residents.”

“We’re being careful to… not [overburden] residents,” La Follette said. “The costs of everything in all our lives are going up, and we’re sensitive to that.”

To help lower water bills, the city encourages residents to conserve water. For more information, visit slowtheflow.org. Residents can also track their water usage and set up high-use or leak detection alerts at http://www.herriman.gov/waterdashboard.