WATER RATES are doing up by about $5 in Garden Grove (Flickr/Beth Kinsey).

The Garden Grove City Council has adopted an ordinance establishing a new five-year schedule of water rates and fees effective in 2024. Residential water customers will see an increase of approximately $4.78 in their bi-monthly water bill beginning Thursday, Jan 11, 2024.

While rates vary by water usage and other determining factors, the bi-monthly water bill includes a minimum water usage charge, capital improvements charge, and commodity delivery charge. On average, residential customers use 22 units of hundred cubic feet of water bi-monthly, resulting in approximately $112 in water charges every two months. With the new water rate increase, the average bi-monthly water bill will be approximately $146 in the next five years.

In addition to local groundwater provided by the Orange County Water District, the city purchases imported water from the Municipal Water District of Orange County and Metropolitan Water District of Southern California. 

These wholesale providers adopt new rates and fee adjustments on an annual basis and are part of the city’s annual automatic adjustments applied towards incremental increases incurred.

Lack of additional funds is needed to cover future increases would result in the city not being able to maintain and operate the water system, repay bond indebtness, and comply with state- and federal-mandated regulations, according to city officials.