Goodyear Adopts 2026 Four-Year Utility Rate Plan

The Goodyear City Council discussed and voted on the proposed 2026 Utility Rate Plan during its meeting on Dec. 15. Council voted 5-2 in favor of the proposal.

Prior to the vote, the Goodyear City Council opted not to approve a stormwater fee increase as originally proposed in the Utility Rate Plan to reduce the financial impact on residents and will continue to use the city's general operating fund to cover the nearly $3 million budget impact.

The approved four-year plan includes adjustments to water, wastewater and solid waste rates to keep pace with rising operational and infrastructure costs. Like many utilities across the Valley, Goodyear is experiencing higher expenses for electricity, construction, equipment, treatment materials and disposal services.

These changes apply to water and wastewater customers in the city's water service area generally located south of I-10 and to residential solid waste customers citywide. The city's utility services are not funded by taxes. They are supported entirely by user fees, meaning customers pay only for the services they use.

Rates and Timeline

The new rates will take effect in early 2026 and will first appear on customer utility bills in February. Customers will see an increase of approximately 5.8-5.9% per year, or on *average about $8.50 more per month in the first year, depending on water use.

Here is how that $8.50 breaks down for each service in the first year:

• Water: $2.71 more per month
• Wastewater: $3.97 more per month
• Solid Waste: $1.82 more per month

*Average is based on average residential household use of 7.5k gallons of water and 6k gallons of wastewater per month.

The last utility rate plan, which included both an increase and a decrease in city rates, took effect in 2021. At that time, the average Goodyear resident saw their monthly utility bill go up by about 2.7% each year. Solid Waste started with a 17.5% reduction in the first year, then gradually returned to 2020 levels by 2025.

Collaborative Process

Each rate plan decision is developed through a utility rate study, in partnership with the Citizens Water Advisory Committee (a group made up of Goodyear residents), city staff, and an independent consulting firm that routinely performs such assessments of utilities nationwide.

A critical part of the process is public feedback. The city council values resident feedback, as it helps guide the council in their decision-making process. There was a public hearing on Dec. 15 for residents to speak directly to council on this topic. It was a priority for the city to communicate this important topic beyond what is required by state statute, which included the creation of a citizen rate committee, notices to customers and educational information on social media and in the city's monthly magazine leading up to the public hearing to ensure transparency and to encourage residents to weigh in.

Critical Projects

The rate plan supports the city's commitment to providing safe, reliable and high-quality utility services. Revenue from the new rates will help fund day-to-day operations, system maintenance and critical long-term investments, such as expanding treatment plants for surface water and wastewater, installing new PFAS treatment technology, replacing aging equipment and infrastructure and adding a convenient and safe drop-off site for household hazardous waste and recyclables.

For more information about the 2026 Utility Rate Plan, visit goodyearaz.gov/servicerates.