BOISE, Idaho — Hundreds of homes in parts of West Boise and the Boise Foothills could see higher water bills starting in 2026 if two proposed rate increases are approved.
Capitol Water Corp and Dry Creek Water Association have each filed requests with the Idaho Public Utilities Commission (IPUC) to raise rates. The commission says the increases would help recoup infrastructure investments made by both utilities.
WATCH | Neighborhood Reporter Brady Caskey explains the proposed increases
“They've made investments in their infrastructure and have submitted an application to recoup those investments that they made,” said Adam Rush with the IPUC.
Rush said requests like these aren’t unusual, but the commission’s role is to ensure they are in the public’s best interest.
“Essentially, have they made those investments in a responsible manner and were those investments necessary for them to provide safe and reliable service for their customers,” he said.
Capitol Water proposal
Capitol Water serves about 2,536 residential customers and 276 commercial customers in West Boise. The company has two categories of service — non‑metered and metered customers — and both would see increases based on the size of the service line providing water.
For non‑metered customers, the change would mean an extra 90 cents to $1.20 per month. Metered customers could see between 60 cents and $3.60 added to their monthly bills.
Customers unsure of their service line size should call their utility company for information.
Dry Creek Water proposal
Dry Creek Water serves about 640 customers, mainly homes in Dry Creek Ranch.
Its proposal includes a phased‑in increase each year until 2028 to both the monthly fixed fee and the charge for every 1,000 gallons of water consumed. Currently, customers pay a fixed fee of $47.50 plus $2.00 per 1,000 gallons used.
Under the proposal, the fixed fee would climb to $56.50 over a three‑year period, and the usage rate would rise to $2.39 per 1,000 gallons by 2028. The IPUC says that would increase the average residential monthly bill from $87.79 to $104.65, a difference of $16.86.
What’s next
The IPUC expects any approved changes to take effect in 2026. Customers can weigh in on the proposals in writing until Jan. 15, and an in‑person public hearing is planned the following week on Thursday, Jan. 22, 2026. The hearing is from 4:30 p.m — 7:30 p.m. or after all testimony has been taken.
The in-person hearing will be at the Commission’s office, 11331 W. Chinden Blvd., Building 8, Suite 201-A, Boise, ID 83714
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