Water rates increase this month for Oahu users

Most Oahu water customers will receive higher water bills starting this month, the first of four rounds of rate increases under a plan approved last year by the Honolulu Board of Water Supply.

The five-year plan includes new water rates and an adjusted usage tier structure based on meter size instead of a flat rate for all types of users.

Approved by the water board 11 months ago, no rate hikes were scheduled to take place until this month.

BWS officials said the new structure will be more equitable, charging those who use more water at a higher rate while those who use 2,000 gallons or less monthly will see bills about the same or even slightly lower.

The average residential household uses 9,000 gallons monthly. On July 1 that family began paying $51.02 a month, about $2 or roughly 4% more than the $49.04 water bill in 2018. On July 1, 2022, the end of the rate increase program, the same family will pay a projected $59.56, or about 21% more than than in 2018.

BWS officials said they structured the increase in this manner so it would be less impactful to customers than a one-time jump.

Most of Oahu’s residential users will see an increase, although rates for those customers who use the bare minimum, especially those in condominiums and apartments, will stay about the same, the board said.

To calculate your bill based on water usage, you’ll need to know roughly how much water you use each month:

>> A new monthly customer charge replaces the old $9.26 billing charge that was assessed to every household. The new charge is based on the size of the meter being used so that those with larger meters pay more. An average family using 9,000 gallons monthly usually has a meter five-eighths of an inch or three-fourths of an inch in size, for which there would be a monthly charge of $10.42 starting July 1. By 2022 the customer charge would climb to $12.09.

>> The new water usage rate is based on four tiers, with the highest charges for those who use the most. Single-family customers will now pay $3.79 per 1,000 gallons on the first 2,000 gallons, $4.46 for every 1,000 gallons between 2,001 and 6,000 gallons and $5.06 per 1,000 gallons between 6,001 and 30,000 gallons. Those using more than 30,000 gallons will pay $8.46 for every 1,000 gallons above that amount.

The increased customer charges will net the agency about $60 million more over the next four years to pay fixed costs and for replacing pipes.

Go to boardofwatersupply.com for more information.