The Inland Empire Utilities Agency (IEUA) is a regional wastewater treatment agency and wholesale distributor of imported water. Today, IEUA is responsible for serving approximately 950,000 people over 242 square miles in western San Bernardino County. For more information about IEUA, click here. 

Where Things Stand

IEUA is in the process of conducting a regional Rate Study. No new rates have been adopted. If the Board of Directors approves new regional rates, they will take effect July 1, 2027. This page explains what’s being studied, why, and how you can stay informed.

Why Rate Studies Are Needed

Rates are shaped by a myriad of factors from inflationary pressures to regulatory and compliance changes. A Rate Study assesses how much it costs to provide utility services and ensures that rates reflect the true cost of service. It’s about fairness and precision in funding our future.

Rate Transparency in Action

IEUA utilizes several sources of funding to provide key services to the region. Here you can see how IEUA revenue is spent, not only allowing us to operate day-to-day, but also invest in long term capital improvement and planning projects.

Click below to see how IEUA utilizes these funds for both short and long-term planning

The Agency prepares long-term planning documents which outline the capital improvements necessary to support the Agency’s operations and key initiatives. The Agency will continue to pursue low-cost financing and federal, state, and local grants to support the Agency’s Ten-Year Capital Improvement Plan (TYCIP). Click here to view the Ten-Year Capital Improvement Plan FY 2026-2027

The biennial Operating Budget for Fiscal Years 2025/26 and 2026/27 was adopted on June 18, 2025. As part of the Agency’s continual commitment to fiscal responsibility, the budget will focus on long-term planning, sustainability, and strategic plan initiatives. The Agency’s staff will continue to monitor and report program costs on a regular basis. The Agency will continue to implement sustainable costs and containment of expenditures within budgeted targets to ensure fiscal stability of the Agency into the future. Click here to view the FY 2025/26 and 2026/27 Operating and Capital Program Budget

Timeline

Throughout the Rate Study process, IEUA will provide updates to representatives of its Customer Agencies, as well as members of the public.

Upcoming Meetings:

Meeting Date
Rates 101 Workshop September 30, 2026
Budget Assumptions Workshop #1 December 2, 2026
Budget Assumptions Workshop #2 February 3, 2027
IEUA Board of Directors Meeting (Rate Adoption) April 21, 2027

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

No new rate increases have been adopted yet, so there is no change to IEUA charges on your bill today. Current IEUA rates can be found here. The Rate Study is evaluating what it will cost to provide IEUA’s services. As the study progresses, estimated rate impacts will be shared here and discussed at public meetings before the Board of Directors considers approval and adoption of new rates.

Not exactly. Your local water/sewer service provider bills you for their services. That’s what you see on your utility bill each month. However, a portion of your bill may include IEUA sewer treatment fees, which are billed by your local provider and then remitted to IEUA, which manages the heavy-duty regional wastewater treatment and water supply reliability that makes local delivery possible.

As regulatory and economic conditions change in the region, IEUA needs to periodically reevaluate its rate and fee structure to ensure that rates reflect the true cost of service.

To ensure long-term water reliability, public health and environmental safety. Proactive planning allows us to thoughtfully adjust to regional growth and upgrade aging infrastructure.

Approved rates become effective on July 1, 2027.

Rate adjustments are determined by performing a thorough cost-of-service study developed by independent expert consultants which is then reviewed and approved by IEUA’s Board of Directors.

Rates transform directly into water and wastewater services and solutions that finance the day-to-day operations, maintenance of systems, and regional capital investments in future water security.

IEUA consistently looks for ways to control costs by implementing innovative smart technology and energy efficiency upgrades, performing proactive maintenance projects to avoid costly repairs, and actively pursuing diverse external funding wherever possible.

Cost analysis for the CBP remains ongoing. The final CBP cost allocation is expected to be reviewed by the IEUA Board of Directors in December 2026. For more information on the Chino Basin Program, click here.

Resources

How To Stay Involved

The current Rate Study is underway. Before any rates are adopted, there will be a public hearing at an upcoming IEUA Board of Directors meeting. Meeting dates and agenda packets will be posted on this page, as well as on the IEUA Board & Committee Meetings page. You can also submit a question or comment using the form box below.

Have a Question?

Your voice matters. Input your inquiry below. Submissions are reviewed by staff using plain-language guidelines to expand our public FAQ list over time, keeping our community consistently informed.

Submit Your Question

Name or Agency(Required)
Email(Required)
Type your question or feedback here...

All submissions are reviewed by staff to update our public FAQ database. Any email inquiries should be sent to Lucia Diaz, Acting Director of Finance, at ldiaz@ieua.org.