The Value of Water – New Rates Take Effect March 1, 2026
- February 3, 2026 | Category: Customer Service, Your Water
Water is critical to our wellbeing, and aside from the many ways each of us use water personally each day, we cannot survive very long without it. In recognition of this importance, Medford Water has made it our mission to provide a reliable, high-quality water supply at the best value. This means planning ahead what projects are necessary to keep up with growth and to continue to provide water for the next hundred years.
There are significant expenses associated with storing, treating, and transporting water for people to use. These costs are the basis for fees that all water providers charge, with the goal of ensuring that charges are allocated in a fair manner. To do this, we conduct annual third-party studies to determine the revenue necessary to fund replacement of aging infrastructure (parts of our system are over 100 years old), and improvements and expansion of existing facilities. New resilient facilities that store, treat, and transport water also need to be constructed. Inflationary increases in operating costs—such as electricity and treatment chemicals—are a factor as well.
Our recent annual study has shown that rate modifications are required to meet revenue needs for this ongoing work. They average 13.6% for single-family residential customers in Medford with a ¾” meter. For average monthly usage of 10,000 gallons, these customers will see their monthly bill go from $37.58 to $42.67. Even after modifications, our water rates are still low compared with similar communities in our area, statewide, and nationwide.
We receive no support from local taxes and our revenues do not support other City of Medford work; revenue from water rates and other fees stay with us to be invested in the water system. Water remains difficult to substitute at any price, though at less than three cents per gallon, tap water is clearly a good deal compared with any other beverage bought in a bottle. We hope this highlights the great value of the high-quality water available to you with a turn of the tap.
Go to medfordwater.org/rates for more information on current rates and click here for a summary of the modifications and full schedules for all customer groups that will take effect March 1, 2026.
Due to the water rate modifications effective March 1, 2026, your March billing will be prorated to reflect both new and prior charges. Call us at 541-774-2430 if you have any questions.