On December 16, 2025, the Gilbert Town Council voted 7-0 to adopt a Notice of Intent to increase water and solid waste and recycling fees and rates for all residential and commercial customers. The proposed water increase is part of a planned three-year water rate adjustment that began in 2024, with the potential for a fourth year, depending on the option chosen by the Council. These phased increases are designed to fund aging infrastructure and secure Gilbert’s water supply as the Colorado River faces ongoing shortages.

This is not an official approval of any rate increase. The Council has directed the Public Works staff to continue researching and evaluating alternative options.

This notice is solely to inform customers about Gilbert’s consideration of a potential utility rate increase.

No decision regarding a rate increase has been made yet. 

At the February 17, 2026 council meeting, the Town Council will review and vote on one of these rate options, as well as a proposed 2% increase in solid waste and recycling rates for residential customers, which is less than $0.60 a month. For commercial customers, the proposed rate increase for solid waste and recycling is 20%, and the new rate could range from $44 to $400, depending on the type of service.

If Council chooses to move forward with any of these options, the applicable rate increase will take effect in April 2026.

Watch the December 16, 2025 Council meeting below.

On Thursday, October 30, 2025, the Town interviewed three firms (two from the pre-qualified list and one additional firm that solicited us directly). The panel selected Kimley-Horn and Associates, LLC (Kimley-Horn) to provide the independent audit. This selection was based on their responses to questions regarding objectivity, credibility, data transparency and understanding, public communication and handling of sensitive information.

Kimley-Horn is beginning the audit process immediately, utilizing contingency funds, while their contract is being finalized.

Kimley-Horn has provided an initial data request and met with town staff on November 5, 2025 to clarify and refine the audit scope. 

At the October 28, 2025 Council Meeting, staff provided an update on the progress being made, including:

Utility Listening Sessions: Residents are invited to share feedback with Council and staff on water and utility services during three sessions in November and December. Onsite support will be available to troubleshoot each unique situation.

Water System Audit: The town is finalizing the selection of a vendor for the third-party audit of water meters and AMI systems, expected to begin in early November, to enhance transparency and service quality. 

Boosted Customer Support: Gilbert is hiring temporary staff and evaluating vendors to improve response times and expand Water Efficiency Checkups.

Learn more here.

 

During the Council Meeting on October 14, 2025, Gilbert’s Public Works Director, Jessica Marlow provided a comprehensive overview of the primary issues raised by the community, including utility portal issues, communication breakdowns, and infrastructure challenges. A detailed action plan was also presented. For a more thorough understanding and to see the complete presentation, please watch the video below.

The three videos below are recordings of our open houses and virtual sessions since 2023, during which town officials explained proposed utility rate increases. The sessions detail how fees work, rising operational costs, infrastructure needs, and sustainability goals. Please watch each video to learn more.

The town has been able to activate continuous-consumption reports for residential customers. These alerts flag the utility customer support team to review potential consumption issues and trigger, when necessary, proactive outreach to residents to investigate any issues they may be experiencing.

With any mass-produced product issued to thousands of customers, in our case, over 50,000 customers, there may be a small margin of error. That’s why we have dedicated, full-time customer service support staff, water conservationists, and meter technicians whose jobs are to partner with customers and investigate any discrepancies they may experience.

It should also be noted that when water meters fail, they typically start underreporting water use. However, an easy way to verify meter function is to read your water meter before and after filling a 5-gallon bucket, without any other water being used, to check its accuracy. For instructions on how to read your water meter, watch this video.

While we have dedicated staff to serve our community, we cannot catch every error and rely on customers to directly report any issues they are experiencing via the appropriate channels. If you see something unusual on your bill or suspect a leak, please report it using our Gilbert 311 app or contact our customer service team.

A number of recent changes and factors may be contributing to higher utility bills:

New Utility Billing Portal: Launched June 30, 2025, this system replaced outdated software and enhances customer access to water usage data. During the transition, some accounts were still being registered, and customers may have seen a carryover balance, making their bill appear higher than usual. Log in to the new billing portal to see any outstanding balances.

Water & Wastewater Rate Increases: Your exact bill impact depends on your water usage and meter size. See the current utility rates structure.

Tiered Billing Structure: Just a single gallon over a tier threshold can result in a higher rate, especially during high-use summer months. Take a look at the tiered structure and compare your own water bill. 

Undetected Leaks: Interior or irrigation leaks can significantly increase usage. Here’s how you can find and fix leaks at home: glbrt.is/WaterLeaks.

Financial Hardship: We recognize that some customers are still catching up on payments. That’s why Gilbert enacted a 120-day grace period during the billing system transition to prevent disconnections and offer flexibility.

The new utility billing portal will display water usage history starting from July 1, 2025, when our portal was launched. For year-over-year comparisons, please refer to any prior physical bills you may have on hand. Alternatively, you can reach out to our customer service team at (480) 503-6800 or via email at utilities@gilbertaz.gov to request a copy of your 2024 bills.

Our current billing system, Tyler Eden, was phased out and no longer received support or updates from the vendor. Continuing to operate on unsupported software would increase vulnerability to cybersecurity threats, cause potential disruptions to services, and hinder our ability to operate efficiently.

By transitioning to a new, modern system, we’re investing in stronger security, improved performance, and cutting-edge tools that enhance your experience and streamline our operations. This upgrade ensures we can continue to deliver reliable, secure, and user-friendly service today and into the future.

We encourage residents who are unable to pay their bills to reach out to our Customer Service team for customized payment plans. Eligible Gilbert residents can also receive a $30 monthly discount on their utility bill through our Utility Bill Discount Program. To qualify, your household income must be at or below 120% of the HUD Area Median Income (AMI).

Portal registration is optional. Customers can pay via, mail, phone, or in-person if they wish to continue doing so. To avoid the $3.25 convenience fee added to all credit card transactions we recommend creating an account and setting up autopay via our utility portal. Creating an account means you won't have to enter your information every time, and you can easily track your water usage.

Our team is dedicated to delivering reliable service, promptly addressing concerns, and supporting residents through meaningful programs. If a meter error occurs, we will correct your bill. In case of a leak, resources will be offered, and we are available to walk you through your bill in detail. For any utility-related inquiries, please reach out to the town directly. Our customer service team is here to help at (480) 503-6800 or via email at utilities@gilbertaz.gov.