Water Distribution & Pipeline Maintenance

All City of Grand Junction water customers have meters. Monthly water bills to customers include a base or minimum charge and a use charge for the water that passes through their water meter. Customers pay a monthly minimum charge of $9.00, which includes the first 3,000 gallons of water usage, and a use charge starting at $1.85 per thousand gallons after the first 3,000 gallons is used. Since 2003, the cost for 7,000 gallons of water (the average gallons a residential customer uses during winter months) has only increased 1.9% for a yearly increase of 0.40% and the cost for 18,000 gallons. The average of what a residential customer uses during summer months has increased 5.9% for a yearly increase of 1.2%. A customer that uses 30,000 gallons or more per month has seen their bill increase 13.7% over this time frame for a yearly increase of 2.7%.

 
Pipeline Maintenance is responsible for maintaining 140 miles of water distribution piping, 9,500 metered water customers, 1,300 valves, 800 fire hydrants, water supply for The Ridges irrigation area, installation of new water and sewer lines and taps, and providing services to the Wastewater Services Division by means of repair work on wastewater lines and manholes. Pipeline Maintenance is also responsible for meter reading and meter repair functions necessary for monthly billings of accurate water consumption.