Safe water, plainly reported.Serving Sterling Falls and Caldwell County · Data current August 2026
Rates & affordability
Your bill has two parts: a fixed monthly charge that keeps the pipes and plants running whether you use water or not, and a charge for the water you actually use. The second part is tiered, so the first few thousand gallons cost the least.
Typical Monthly Bill
$52.30
+1.6%vs. prior yearincrease compared with the prior year
5,000 gallons, the usual household
Monthly Service Charge
$22.50
Fixed, whatever you use
First 1,000 Gallons
$5.30
The cheapest block, on purpose
Assistance Programs
4
Listed in full below, terms included
$33.10
2,000 gallons · One or two people, no yard
$41.88
3,500 gallons · A careful household
$52.30
5,000 gallons · The typical Caldwell household
$82.35
9,000 gallons · A family with a lawn in July
$150.15
16,000 gallons · Heavy summer irrigation
Each block of gallons costs more than the one before it. The reason is not to punish anyone: the first block covers what a household needs to live, and the top block covers the cost of building capacity for the hottest week in July.
| Tier 1: first 3,000 gallons | 1 to 3,000 | $5.30 |
|---|---|---|
| Tier 2: 3,001 to 8,000 gallons | 3,001 to 8,000 | $6.95 |
| Tier 3: 8,001 to 15,000 gallons | 8,001 to 15,000 | $9.20 |
| Tier 4: above 15,000 gallons | 15,001 and up | $12.60 |
Tier 1: first 3,000 gallons
Drinking, cooking, washing, and flushing. This block is priced lowest on purpose: nobody should have to ration the water they need to live.
Tier 2: 3,001 to 8,000 gallons
Ordinary household use above the essentials. Most families land here, and the typical bill is calculated in this block.
Tier 3: 8,001 to 15,000 gallons
Lawns, pools, and long summer irrigation. This is the block that drives the July peak the treatment plants have to be built for.
Tier 4: above 15,000 gallons
Heavy seasonal use. The highest block pays the largest share of the cost of peak-day capacity, which is the fairest place to put it.
The bill for a household using 5,000 gallons a month, from $38.60 in 2016 to $52.30 today.
Updated annually · as of rates effective July 1, 2026
| Year | Monthly service charge | Typical monthly bill |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 | $15.90 | $38.60 |
| 2017 | $16.40 | $39.80 |
| 2018 | $17.00 | $41.20 |
| 2019 | $17.60 | $42.50 |
| 2020 | $17.90 | $43.20 |
| 2021 | $18.40 | $44.40 |
| 2022 | $20.10 | $47.90 |
| 2023 | $20.80 | $49.30 |
| 2024 | $21.50 | $50.60 |
| 2025 | $22.00 | $51.50 |
| 2026 | $22.50 | $52.30 |
InsightThe step in 2022 is the service line replacement program. Over the eleven years the typical bill rose 35%, which is about $1.25 a year.
Water is not optional, so we do not make help hard to find. Every program is listed in full below, including who qualifies and what to bring. Call (555) 011-1954 and ask, or walk into the office on Court Square.
Takes $14 a month off the bill, which covers most of the fixed service charge.
Spreads the summer irrigation peak across twelve equal payments so July does not arrive all at once.
Rebills the water lost to a hidden leak at the Tier 1 rate instead of the tier the leak pushed you into.
Replaces the customer-owned portion of a lead or galvanized service line at no charge to the property owner.
