Dove Creek posts 2026 fee schedule for water, licenses and rentals

Dove Creek's 2026 fee schedule sets a $65 monthly residential water base inside town, a $67.50 sewer charge, and $3,000 water and sewer tap fees within town limits. Outside town, the same water service starts at a $98 base rate and sewer at $101.25, before usage is added.

The 2026 fee schedule covers municipal services, permits, licenses, utilities and facility rentals. Residential water is listed at $14 per 1,000 gallons in both town and out-of-town service areas. Commercial water is set at $75 a month inside town and $113 outside town, also with the same per-gallon charge.

Bills go out at the end of the month and are due on the 10th of the following month. If payment is not received by the 15th, the town applies a $5 late charge. The fee schedule also lists a $10 late-payment fee after the 20th, plus a $55 collections fee, a $55 reinstatement fee and a 20% administrative fee on a final bill.

In-town purchasers must buy both a water and sewer tap unless the Town Board of Trustees waives that requirement. The fee schedule puts each tap at $3,000 inside town limits and $4,500 outside town limits, plus hourly labor and materials. The town also lists a $35 annual business license, court costs of $55, and dog-license prices that change depending on whether the animal is altered or unaltered. The business-license application lists a $30 fee and renewal fee, but the 2026 fee schedule lists $35.

The February 24 town board agenda included a resolution to change the rate schedule. A March 31 agenda also included municipal court items, requests tied to water and sewer tap exemptions or forfeitures, and First Weber Water/Sewer Project Expenses. Dove Creek’s utility system operates as an enterprise system and must cover its own costs.

Dove Creek, incorporated on July 10, 1939, serves as the county seat for Dolores County. With about 700 residents, its canal supply dried up in August instead of October during drought conditions.