Draper City to raise water costs, effective immediately

DRAPER, Utah (ABC4) — Draper City government has announced an increase in water cost for residents, in order to combat increasing usage and purchasing cost within the city.

Draper City officials say they have seen an increase in operating and purchasing costs associated with water, while also seeing increases in personnel costs and basic service water costs.

Between 2017 and 2024, Draper City says they saw a 26.8% increase in the amount of water purchased, increasing the cost of water to over $500,000. The add that expenses associated with personnel have gone up by 54.9% totaling to $360,000.

City officials say they have increased the amount of water they need to purchase to accommodate a growing population.

As a result of increasing costs, Draper City has eliminated any previous surplus within its water fund. They also reported net operating losses from 2022 and 2024. As a result, they are immediately increasing water rates.

According to the Draper City press release, residents will see a 15% increase to the base rate, totaling $31.44/mo. The variable rate is also increasing by 8%, with an average increase of $12.00 per month. Residents should see this rate change on their first bill in August.

You can read more about this increase here.