FRIDAY, June 12, 2026 |
Photo – Hanna Town Hall – Bigfoot99 file photo
Hanna residents will see another water rate increase to help build the town’s reserves for future projects and emergencies.
During Tuesday evening’s Hanna Town Council meeting, the governing body considered Resolution 2026‑625. Mayor Charlie George said the measure sets the town’s water rates for the coming fiscal year.
Treasurer Ann Calvert explained that the town raises residents’ water bills every year. She said the increases will continue until the water enterprise fund, which pays for infrastructure improvements and repairs, reaches a reserve of $250,000.
Hanna residents currently pay $47.10 a month for water. Under the 2.5 percent rate increase, that price would go up by roughly $1.18.
By law, enterprise funds cannot be refilled with tax money. They have to be supported by fees and other charges. If the fund runs low, the town can loan it tax dollars, but the money must be paid back. Without regular fee increases to keep pace with inflation, towns risk leaving their water funds short when they need to pay for infrastructure work.
Rawlins is an example of what happens when a municipality fails to adopt annual rate increases. For years, residents paid the same amount for their water and the city put off overdue repairs to its water system. The problem came to a head in March of 2022, when a series of failures on the water transmission line left Rawlins without clean drinking water for nearly a week.
A 2023 study by the Wyoming Water Development Office identified $50 million in needed repairs to the city’s water infrastructure.
Rawlins officials are slowly working to resolve the issues with the city’s water system. In May 2025, the city received a $2.835 million grant from the Wyoming Water Development Commission to replace the blowoff valves and cathodic protection system on the 32‑mile water transmission line. The grant required an equal match from the city, bringing the total allocation to $5.67 million.
Earlier this month, the city applied for a $1.5 million mineral royalty grant from the State Lands and Investments Board to build a booster pump station at the corner of Date and 9th Streets. The facility would allow the city to pump low‑pressure water to higher‑elevation areas when the high‑pressure line is down for repairs.
Replacing the high‑pressure line was identified as a priority project by the Water Development Office, along with revitalizing the Sage Creek Springs, repairing the transmission line from the springs to the water treatment plant, and replacing the city’s two deteriorating treated‑water storage tanks. The mineral royalty grant requires a $750,000 match from the city.
Hanna officials are determined to keep the town’s water infrastructure in working order through regular rate increases.
The Hanna Town Council voted unanimously to raise water fees by 2.5 percent. The new rates will take effect on July 1st.
