Reno Water Bills Could Rise $9 a Month
Customers would see the first increase on or about May 1, with public meetings set for November 2026.
Updated on Nov. 10, 2026 in Utilities
Live Poll
Would you support higher water bills to repair aging local infrastructure?
Truckee Meadows Water Authority (TMWA) is proposing water rate increases over the next three years, which would add roughly $3 a month to a typical Reno-area bill each year. Customers would see the first increase on or about May 1 if the plan is approved.
Why it matters
Much of the pipe and equipment that delivers water across the valley was put in the ground 25 to 35 years ago, and the cost of repairing it has climbed with inflation and construction prices. The open question is how much of the repair work should be paid for now through rates versus borrowing, and TMWA is asking the community to weigh in before any decision.
TMWA's proposal would hold the three-year increases to 7%, 7% and 5%, compared with 10%, 10% and 8% if the utility relied on rates alone without the roughly $50 million in proposed borrowing. The utility has already paid down more than $200 million in existing debt, and what comes after the three-year window has not been determined.
The players
Truckee Meadows Water Authority (TMWA)
The regional water utility serving the Reno area that proposed the rate increases and the borrowing plan.
The details
TMWA proposes balancing the rate increases with new debt, and the increases would be applied to customer bills on or about May 1 each year. The utility says the money would go toward repairing and rehabilitating existing infrastructure, not expanding service to new areas. TMWA plans four public meetings on the proposal in November 2026.
Timeline
November 2026: TMWA hosts four public meetings on the proposal.
On or about May 1 each year: proposed rate increases would take effect.
Over the next three years: the proposed rate increase schedule would run.
The Truckee Meadows View
TMWA has already retired more than $200 million in existing debt, and this proposal pairs new borrowing of about $50 million with rate increases to address infrastructure built 25 to 35 years ago. Rather than relying on rates alone, the utility is asking the community to accept a blended approach that spreads the cost of repairs over time.
A typical household would see about $3 more on its monthly water bill starting around May 1, rising to about $9 more per month by the third year of the plan. Residents who want to weigh in can attend one of TMWA's four public meetings in November 2026.
The takeaway
Keep an eye on the May 1 effective date and the four November public meetings, since the three-year schedule is still a proposal. Check the TMWA rate information page for meeting dates and the full breakdown before the increases take effect.
What happens next
TMWA will host four public meetings in November 2026 on the proposal, and the proposed rate increases would begin on or about May 1 each year if approved.
Further reading
For broader context on how regional utility costs are set and funded, see the Utilities coverage.
More information
Find the full proposal details on the TMWA rate proposal information page.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Kolotv.
Live Poll
Would you support higher water bills to repair aging local infrastructure?
