Monday, February 9, 2026 |
Photo – City of Rawlins crew works on a water line – Courtesy City of Rawlins
To continue repairing the city’s water infrastructure, Rawlins officials say water rates can’t be lowered, even for senior citizens.
During the February 3rd Rawlins City Council meeting, Councilman Derek Elliot opened a discussion about lowering the city’s water rates. Councilman Elliot said water rates increased by 50 percent in 2024, adding financial pressure on low‑income residents. When water service is shut off for nonpayment, an extra fee is required to turn it back on. Councilman Elliot said the city must reduce the rates to ensure all residents have access to water.
Rawlins’ residents rely on a century‑old water system to bring clean water from the Sage Creek Springs, south of the city, to the water treatment plant. Until recently, much of the transmission line connecting the two points was made of wood stave pipe. Before 2022, the City of Rawlins hadn’t raised water rates in seven years, even as inflation steadily increased. A 15 percent increase in 2022 wasn’t enough to stabilize accounts, and by 2023, the city’s water enterprise fund was nearly depleted, preventing any substantial water‑infrastructure repair projects. In 2024, the City Council voted for another 50 percent increase to the overall utility bill, including sewer and water.
Councilman Elliot said high water bills can lead to service shutoffs, foreclosures, and families being unable to pay for food or healthcare. The Ward One representative shared an example of a southside resident who couldn’t afford both groceries and her water bill. Elliot said residents are overwhelmingly opposed to the increased water rates.
Despite the higher fees, Councilman Elliot said his constituents report seeing no progress on water‑infrastructure repairs. Instead of replacing failing sections of the lines, the councilman said public works crews only respond to breaks, which results in greater costs to the city.
Councilman Elliot pointed to the January 10th high‑pressure line break near Exit 211 on Interstate 80 as an example of the city falling behind on maintenance. In that case, crews replaced roughly 60 feet of pipe at a cost of $21,000.
Additionally, Councilman Elliot recommended creating a program to prevent senior citizens from having their water disconnected for nonpayment. The councilman asked the governing body to relieve people from the higher water rates, especially seniors and disabled residents.
Under the new rates, the city’s water enterprise fund increased from less than $500,000 in 2023 to $3.8 million by the end of fiscal year 2025. Councilman Elliot asked if the money was being used for its intended purpose, repairing the city’s water lines. City Manager Matt Hall said the enterprise funds have been used to match the $2.835 million Wyoming Water Development Commission grant for cathodic protection repairs on the transmission line and to repay old loans.
City Manager Hall said the city is currently using the enterprise funding for two water‑transmission‑line projects, repairing cathodic protection, which prevents the pipes from deteriorating, and replacing valves, with both projects expected to begin this summer. Mayor Jacquelin Wells added that the city replaced 10,000 feet of transmission line several years ago.
Councilman Steve Sanger explained that all water projects must be paid through the water enterprise fund. Under Wyoming law, enterprise funds must be run like a business, bringing in as much money through fees as they spend on services. In addition, Councilman Sanger said reducing the water rate would prevent the city from applying for loans, including those through the United States Department of Agriculture. To qualify for a USDA loan, water rates must equal a set percentage of residents’ income. Councilman Sanger said that even at the current rate, the city is unable to secure a USDA loan for water projects.
In 2024, the Wyoming Water Development Office created a water master plan for Rawlins. The document listed four priority one projects that should be addressed as soon as possible: revitalizing the Sage Creek Springs, repairing blow-off valves on the transmission line from the springs to the water treatment plant, addressing the high-pressure line running beneath Interstate 80, and replacing the city’s two treated water storage tanks. The state agency estimated that repairs will cost $50 million.
At the February 3rd meeting, Councilman Steve Sanger said lowering the water rates will take away the city’s ability to apply for grants and loans. Councilman Sanger added that the current situation was not created by the sitting City Council. Instead, decades of unchanged water rates have left the city unable to keep pace with inflation. Because of that prolonged underfunding, Mayor Wells said the city lacks the resources to properly maintain its aging water system.
As a Public Health regional nurse supervisor, Mayor Wells said she understands, better than most, the challenges senior citizens are facing. However, the mayor said creating an ordinance specifically to help seniors with their water bills is against the law.
Councilman Terry Patterson and Public Works Director Cody Dill said laws are already in place that prevent the city from shutting off residents’ water during the winter.
Continuing, Mayor Wells said Rawlins isn’t alone in its water problems. Municipalities across Wyoming are seeking help from Cheyenne to address their aging water systems.
The mayor said she understands the financial impact the water‑rate increase has had on residents. However, she said the fees must be paid in order to have reliable access to clean drinking water.
Mayor Wells said she wanted the public to understand that the city can’t make any repairs to its water system without funding.
Vice Mayor Darril Garner said months of meetings were held before the Council agreed to the rate increase, adding that the city is following the recommendations set forth in the 2024 water master plan. Vice Mayor Garner said that lowering the water rates would leave the city unable to carry out any of the needed repairs to its water system.
City Manager Matt Hall said he will meet with elected officials and department heads in the spring to discuss the state of the water enterprise fund and determine which projects the city should tackle next. In the meantime, residents can visit rawlinswater.org for up‑to‑date information about the city’s water system.
