Water, Sewer, and Storm Drain Utility Rates
PUBLIC HEARING ON RESOLUTION 10574 ON JUNE 3, 2025
The City of Great Falls is proposing to raise residential and commercial water, sewer, and storm drain utility service rates, effective July 1, 2025. The increases are necessary to provide adequate revenue to finance the capital improvements program, to meet debt service coverage requirements and to maintain appropriate reserves.
The public hearing will be held on Tuesday, June 3, 2025, at 7:00 p.m. in the Civic Center Commission Chambers, 2 Park Drive S. Documents pertaining to this agenda item are posted on the City’s website under “Meetings,” and are on file for public inspection during regular office hours at the City Clerk’s Office, 2 Park Drive South, Room 204, or contact us at (406) 455-8451. Comments can be mailed to City of Great Falls, City Clerk, PO Box 5021, Great Falls, MT 59403-5021.
For further information, contact a City of Great Falls Utility Billing Clerk at (406) 727-7660 or Room 104 of the Civic Center, 8:00 am to 5:00 pm.
View Proposed Utility Increases
WINTER QUARTER AVERAGE (WQA)
The City of Great Falls charges for residential sewer consumption based on a winter quarter average or WQA. Winter consumption is a good indication of indoor residential use as residents are not typically irrigating when it’s cold outside. Most of the water that goes through the water meter goes through the sewer system.
The City calculates the WQA value by averaging the water consumption in December, January, February and March. We encourage all residential users to monitor their water consumption during the winter months as higher consumption will affect your sewer rate. Residential sewer charges are recalculated prior to the May billing cycle to determine the monthly sewer consumption charge for the May through April billing cycles. The City charges a base fee for the sewer service and a consumption charge. On the monthly billing statement, the charges are combined into one total and the usage is reflected. Residential users are charged $9.02 per month for the sewer service and $2.48 per 100 cf for the consumption.
High consumption due to leaks may be eliminated from the calculation. The high read may be thrown out and a 3 month average used. Customers are encouraged to contact the City of Great Falls Utilities Department to notify the department of any leak and when it was fixed. High reads will only be eliminated from the calculation if the consumption decreases or if the consumer furnishes a receipt indicating that the issue has been resolved.
New owners and new tenants without any consumption history will be given a value of 650 cf until consumption history exists in which to calculate an actual WQA. This is based on actual average water consumption in the City of Great Falls.
Customers will be given a value of 300 cf if the resident is a "snowbird" or if the property is vacant.
Commercial accounts are exempt from WQA unless a WQA application is completed and approved. Applications are available in the Utilities Department.
If you have any questions, please contact a City of Great Falls Utility Billing Clerk at (406) 727-7660. We are located in the Civic Center, Room 104.
