Dave Alley
NIPOMO, Calif. (KEYT) – Thousands of people who live in Nipomo will soon receive higher water bills in the coming days.
Rate increases that were approved by the Nipomo Community Water District (NCSD) late last year went into effect on Feb. 1, 2026 and will now be reflected for the first time on billing this month.
“:You’ll be able to see the difference in your first bill that’s that’s coming out here in March,” said NCSD General Manager Ray Dienzo. “We haven’t sent them out yet, but they will be coming on in the next in the next few days.”
Under the new rate structure, customers will see their monthly bill increase between 8.1% to 13.6% depending on usage.
According to the NCSD, customers who are described as “average” users will notice a bump of nearly $14 per month.
“There’s going to be a change in the rates,” said Dienzo. “As we stated in the the water rates study, the first round of rates will probably be about a 10% difference. A 10% increase from what you got last month, so be on the lookout for that.”
Data provided by the NCSD showed an “average customer” prior to the new rate increase paid $142.96 per month, but with the new rate, the monthly bill through the rest of the year will be $156.31 per month.
Beginning in January 2027, an “average customer” will experience a larger jump in their water bill, with the rate climbing to $186.54 per month.
One year later, in January 2028, the water rate will increase for a third time in less than three years.
The same “average customer” that was paying $142.96 per month prior to the rate hike in January 2026, will see their bill rise to $212.45.
For the “average customer,” they will see their water bill rise about $70 more per month within a window of 23 months from February 2026 to January 2028.
“It just represents more of our income that they’re going to get,” said NCSD customer Criss Blake, who was a vocal critic of the rate increases while it was being considered last year by NCSD board members. “I mean there’s just additional expenses everywhere you look and everything is more expensive. If you have families, if you have kids, you want to get them in soccer or whatever their their needs are, or even school supplies, everything has gone up, so you hate to see that.”
Blake added she is particularly worried about the district’s customers who are already struggling financially even before the rate hikes went into effect.
“My main concern is the low income people and people who are living on a fixed income, who are already strapped with all the other expenses that are everything else going up,” said Blake. “You hate to see that happen for people that are already kind of close on their bills, but down the road, there are two more additional increases, so it’ll look a lot different. Our bills are going to look a lot different.”
Dienzo has stressed the district understands and financial impact the new rates may have on some of its customers, but added the additional revenue that will be collected is needed.
“The reason for these bills is to maintain good operation and maintenance of the aging water infrastructure that we have here in Nipomo,” said Dienzo. “The projects that we are upgrading, these projects are meant for what’s necessary for a continued safe operation and to keep the district from being at risk, and for health and safety reasons, and also for water supply reliability.”
Last December, after much months of spirited community discussion, which included a grassroots protest movement, the NCSD Board of Directors voted 3-2 in favor of rate increases.
“I feel really good that we actually got two no votes from our board,” said Blake. “That made me feel good because it it made it gave me the sense that those board members really heard their customers. It was a very moving meeting. There was extraordinary attendance and there was extraordinary passion, and I really do mean passion on this topic, and it was very emotional in many ways. I was heartened to see that at least two board members were willing to back those customers.”
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