Los Alamos County to hold final hearing on 8% water rate hikes
A 6,000-gallon household bill would rise from $61.87 to $66.81 next fall, and residents get their last hearing on the proposal June 30.
Los Alamos County water customers have one last chance to weigh in before officials decide whether to raise potable water rates 8% a year for two years: the second and final public hearing will be Tuesday, June 30, at 6 p.m.
The Department of Public Utilities will take testimony online and in person in Council Chambers at the Los Alamos County Municipal Building on Central Avenue. Ordinance 02-380 has already moved through the county process. It was introduced to the Board of Public Utilities on April 15, approved by the BPU on May 20, and introduced to County Council on June 9 before the final hearing and possible adoption.
A home using about 6,000 gallons a month now pays $61.87, including the service charge. If the ordinance is approved, that total would rise to $66.81 on Oct. 1, 2026, and to $72.15 on Oct. 1, 2027. The fall timing comes after seasonal tiered water rates expire and after outdoor use drops, when residential bills are more likely to reflect steady indoor demand.
The higher rates are needed to support current operations and build cash reserves for future infrastructure needs. The Water and Energy Conservation Plan connects the proposal to state recommendations from the Office of the State Engineer and federal requirements tied to the U.S. Department of Energy’s Joint Integrated Resource Plan.
The ordinance also sets a separate potable water consumption rate for Los Alamos National Laboratory at $7.45 per 1,000 gallons from July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2027, and $7.80 per 1,000 gallons from July 1, 2027 through June 30, 2028. The proposal would affect more than single-family bills, reaching the county’s largest institutional user as well as other metered customers.
Los Alamos has compared its water rates with those in Santa Fe, Española, Taos, Rio Rancho and Albuquerque/Bernalillo County. After the June 30 hearing, the council could move to adopt the ordinance and lock in the next two October rate changes.
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