Water Renewal Bond Information

General Election | November 2, 2021

How your vote will impact your sewer bill

On November 2^nd, 2021, eligible voters in Boise will choose how to pay for critical improvements to our water renewal (sewer) system. There are two ways to pay for these improvements:

Cash funding would require a significant rate increase right away. Ratepayers provide that source of funding through their every-other-month utility bill from the city
Issuing a bond would keep rate increases more affordable and predictable

The funding for improvements only impacts your sewer utility bill, not property taxes.

What does my vote mean?

YES: Voting “YES” authorizes bond funding of up to $570 million and results in stable and predictable rate increases over 20 years (9.9% in 2022)

NO: Voting “NO” rejects bond funding, not the projects, and results in sharper upfront rate increases (up to 53% in 2022)

Line chartLine graph. X-axis = years (2021 - 2040). Y-axis = monthly sewer rate ($30 - $130). 2021 value shows approx $38. YES line indicates 9% increase, remains steady through 2040 ($122 in 2040). NO line indicates 53% increase in 2022 and stays higher than YES line until 2034. Rate of increase slows in 2027, ending at approximately $99 in 2040. — Projected Increase on Your Water Renewal (Sewer) Bill

How did we get here?

As our water renewal system ages and faces increasing pressures from growth and climate change, we will need to make improvements to the critical structures that keep our community and our river safe and healthy. In 2015, the city started work on developing the Water Renewal Utility Plan to keep our system operating well and address the growing needs of our community.

The Water Renewal Utility Plan was built with the community. Over the course of several years, the city used surveys, open houses, focus groups, stakeholder meetings and an advisory panel of diverse members of our community to create a plan that reflected Boise’s values.

View Summary of our Community Engagement Activities

In October of 2020, after review and approval by the Public Works Commission, multiple council presentations and a public hearing, Boise City Council approved the plan.

You can expect that over the next 20 years, your bill will help:

Protect and improve sewer service
Protect and enhance the Boise River
Build water resiliency in the face of climate change
Add a new recycled water program to promote the sustainable reuse of water
Ensure enough capacity (room) in the system to stay ahead of a growing community

Send a Message to City Clerk

Please fill out the form and a representative from the city will be in touch with you.