Gilbert Town Council members received an in-depth look at municipal utility rates, with Water Manager Rebecca Hamel outlining how rising costs, infrastructure projects and long-term planning are shaping the town’s water bills.

“It’s our water team’s top priority to provide clean, safe drinking water and uninterrupted service to all of the residents and businesses,” Hamel said at an Aug. 26 study session.

She said that when setting water rates, the town focuses on three main goals: covering operating costs, funding critical projects and planning for future repair and replacement needs.

A significant budget driver has been the increasing cost of resources.

“We’ve seen since 2020 a 73% increase in the per acre foot cost of CAP water, and we continue to see an increase in the percentage of

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