Inland Empire, CA – Today, the Inland Empire Utilities Agency (IEUA) Board of Directors adopted rates for Fiscal Years 2025/26 and 2026/27. While five of the seven IEUA rates will see increases over the next two years, IEUA’s rates continue to be one of the lowest in the Inland Empire and across Southern California.
“The decision to raise rates is not made lightly,” stated Marco Tule, IEUA Board President. “However, it is a necessary and responsible step to ensure we can continue delivering safe, reliable, and sustainable services to the community. The adopted rates conclude the transparent process led by staff over the last seven weeks.”
As a public agency, IEUA’s rates must reflect cost-of-service. The revenue collected from the rates goes directly to the cost of treating wastewater and providing safe, reliable water for the region. IEUA’s rates and fees will cover the continued rising cost of service, including operational costs, infrastructure maintenance and replacement, and regulatory compliance. This includes essential upgrades to aging pipelines, water treatment facilities, and system-wide improvements to ensure long-term reliability and water quality.
“It is critically important that we balance the protection of our community’s public health and safety, the responsible maintenance of the region’s sewer system, the development of vital local water supplies, and rate affordability with escalating costs of doing business and the growing and evolving needs of our community. The proposed rates remain less than or comparable to most of our industry and will fund critical infrastructure and staffing needs to ensure the reliability of our water and wastewater systems,” stated Tule.
IEUA’s adopted rates are listed below:
Regional Wastewater Connection Fee and Monthly EDU Rates
| Program | Rate Description | FY 2024/25
Current |
FY 2025/26 Proposed | FY 2026/27 Proposed |
| Regional Wastewater Capital | Wastewater Connection Fee | $8,620 | $8,620 | $8,620 |
| Regional Wastewater Operations & Maintenance | Monthly EDU | $24.79 | $27.02 | $29.45 |
| Regional Wastewater Capital | Extra-Territorial Service Charge | $22.10 | $23.53 | TBD |
Recycled Water Direct, Groundwater Recharge, and Fixed Rates
| Program | FY 2024/25
Current |
FY 2025/26 Proposed | FY 2026/27 Proposed |
| RW Direct (AF) | $465.00 | $506.85 | $552.47 |
| RW Groundwater Recharge (AF) | $200.00 | $208.00 | $216.32 |
| Fixed Cost Recovery ($mil) | $4.96 | $5.11 | $5.26 |
One Water Connection Fee
| Program | FY 2024/25
Current |
FY 2025/26 Proposed | FY 2026/27 Proposed |
| One Water Connection Fee | $1,953 | $1,953 | $1,953 |
Meter Equivalent Unit
| Program | FY 2024/25
Current |
FY 2025/26 Proposed | FY 2026/27 Proposed |
| Meter Equivalent Unit | $1.14 | $1.17 | $1.2o |
“The Board believes in investing in the future of our community. Although this was a difficult decision, the cost-of-service study demonstrated to the Board that without action today, the ramifications to our community due to inadequate investment would be tremendous,” stated Tule. “The Board stands by our commitment to delivering essential services in a cost-effective manner to the people we serve with transparency, accountability, and long-term vision.”
The Cost-of-Service/Rate Study is publicly available and can be accessed at: https://www.ieua.org/current-updates/.