"Over the last four years, we've seen many of the costs to operate and maintain our water system increase significantly, pretty much doubling," Nick Torstensen, Clovis's deputy public utilities director, told the City Council in April, as reported by the Fresno Bee. The council then voted unanimously to approve the city's first major water rate increase since 2009. Only 76 written protests came in, far short of the majority that Proposition 218 requires to block a rate change.
For anyone comparing Clovis and Fresno right now, that vote changes the math. Clovis has had some of the lowest water rates in the region, and that has quietly helped its monthly cost of ownership. On the city's own projections, the advantage is gone within about 27 months.
The Number on Today's Bill Has an Expiration Date
The city's 2026 water rate page compares Clovis with other water systems in the region. Clovis sits at the bottom, at about $28 a month for a typical single-family home. Fresno is at $46, Madera at $59 and Visalia at $62. The same chart also shows where Clovis is headed.
| Effective date | Rate adjustment | Clovis typical monthly bill, per city figures |
|---|---|---|
| Current, through Dec. 31, 2026 | n/a | about $28 |
| Jan. 1, 2027 | +21% | $40.99 |
| Jan. 1, 2028 | +21% | about $50 |
| Jan. 1, 2029 | +18% | about $58 |
| July 1, 2029 | +3% | further escalation |
| July 1, 2030 | +3% | further escalation |
News coverage has added up the first three steps and called it 60%. Because each step compounds on the one before, the city's consultant, Raftelis, puts the cumulative increase at 46.4% by fiscal 2028 and 72.8% by fiscal 2029. A roughly $58 bill in 2029 would rank above Fresno's $46 and Lemoore's $57 on the city's chart, just under Madera. The chart uses other cities' rates as adopted on or before July 1, 2025.
So a buyer who sees about $28 on a Clovis seller's utility bill this fall is looking at a number that has roughly 11 weeks left.
The First Step Lands Hardest on the Lightest Users
The headline percentages are averages across all customer classes. The city's FAQ says each bill "will be impacted differently, especially in Year 1," because 2027 also replaces tiered pricing with a single uniform rate. That redesign matters more than the 21%.
Under the current structure, as the Fresno Bee laid out, most Clovis homes pay a bimonthly service charge of $27.71 plus usage billed in three tiers. Here is how each piece changes in January, according to the Raftelis rate study:
- Service charge for the 5/8-, 3/4- and 1-inch meters found on most homes goes from $27.71 to $33.46 per bimonthly bill, then $40.49 in 2028 and $47.78 in 2029.
- Tier 1 usage, up to 23,000 gallons, goes from $1.13 to $2.02 per 1,000 gallons. That is close to a 79% increase in the price of the first gallons every household uses.
- Tier 2 usage, from 23,000 to 40,000 gallons, goes from $1.88 to $2.02.
- Tier 3 usage, above 40,000 gallons, goes from $2.33 down to $2.02 in 2027, then up to $2.44 in 2028 and $2.88 in 2029.
In 2027, the account that uses the least water pays the biggest increase on its usage. For the heaviest users, the per-gallon price of their top-tier water actually falls for one year, so a high-use account takes a smaller first-year jump in usage charges, in percentage terms, than a low-use one. After that, the city says increases apply evenly to every customer class, so by January 2029 every gallon costs more than the old top-tier rate did.
Between two Clovis homes with very different water use, the 2027 structure narrows the gap between their water bills. The heavier user still pays more.
Where the Money Goes
The city gives two reasons for the increase. First, operating and energy costs have risen. Second, the system is aging: Clovis maintains more than 585 miles of water main and over 40,000 service connections. Assistant Public Utilities Director Kevin Tuttle told the council the city plans to set aside $30 million for aging infrastructure, and that replacing a single pump station at the surface water treatment plant costs about $4 million, according to the Bee.
Some of the reason the bill was low has to do with history. The city's 2016 rate process was revenue-neutral and kept a 3% annual escalator, which the city now says has not kept up with what the system costs to run.
Growth is also part of the picture. Under the rate study, growth-related projects are funded through development impact fees and revenue bonds. Existing refunding-bond debt is split 25% from operating revenues and 75% from impact fees until it matures in fiscal 2028. At the April hearing, residents asked whether developer fees should cover more of the new infrastructure. Council members answered that developers already pay substantial fees for pipes and other improvements.
The next big growth area makes the question concrete. GV Wire reported in September that Loma Vista has passed its required 70% buildout, which lets the city open Heritage Grove in earnest. Lennar, Wilson Homes and Bonadelle Homes already hold approvals there, the plan calls for more than 5,000 homes, and the city expects to propose a specific plan in early 2027. Councilmember Drew Bessinger told the outlet that Loma Vista's infrastructure was paid for with development fees and city funds backstopped by water user fees. He added that Heritage Grove still needs road and water infrastructure, and that bonds issued for a wastewater treatment facility now limit the city's borrowing capacity. Other bonds won't sunset until 2035.
Fresno's Number Is Paused, Not Settled
The other side of the comparison is not standing still. Fresno's water rates have not changed since July 1, 2018, according to the city's own 2026 rate study. Under the Master Fee Schedule effective July 1, 2026, a 1-inch residential meter costs $17.90 a month plus $1.74 per hundred cubic feet of water. The city's model of a typical home works out to about $47.48 a month.
Fresno's Department of Public Utilities has proposed a five-year plan that would add about $1.77 a month to a typical water bill in its first year. On Oct. 8, Fresnoland reported, the City Council voted 6-1 to delay starting that process until its Nov. 5 meeting, after the election, to see how Measure S and Measure D fare. Staff said the city can keep its current rates through June 2027. Using the city's own usage model, the proposed schedule would bring a typical Fresno bill to roughly $57 after July 2029, if it is adopted as drafted.
Clovis's schedule is adopted, and its first step takes effect Jan. 1, 2027. Fresno's is a proposal with no confirmed hearing date.
Each city models a "typical" household with different usage assumptions, so the comparison is approximate. The direction is clear, though. Today Clovis's typical bill is roughly $19 below Fresno's. By 2029 the two cities land in the same range, with Clovis possibly a little higher. That convergence comes from Clovis's steeper path and from Fresno's increase, if one passes, being much smaller.
For buyers choosing between the two cities, as we covered in Clovis or Fresno? How to Choose Your Next Address, water was a small but real point in Clovis's favor on monthly costs. That advantage is now temporary, and its schedule is public.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the increase affect sewer or trash charges? No. The city says the rate change applies only to water service. As of July 1, 2026, residential sewer is $65.98 per bimonthly bill, and refuse is $59.48 for a 96-gallon cart or $56.50 for a 48-gallon cart.
Does Clovis still have water tiers after January? No. The city is replacing tiers with one uniform volume rate plus a service charge based on meter size.
Do the increases stop after 2029? The adopted schedule includes 3% increases on July 1, 2029, and July 1, 2030.
Do the rates also apply in Tarpey Village? Yes. The city serves Tarpey Village customers under the same rate schedule.
When you're comparing homes in Clovis and Fresno, the monthly carrying cost deserves the same attention as the price. Joe Sciarrone can walk you through how a specific property's lot, meter and water use are likely to show up under the 2027 schedule, so you're working from next year's numbers before you write an offer. Begin Your Next Chapter.
This article is general information, not legal, tax or financial advice. Consult a qualified professional about your situation.