The Pagosa Area Water and Sanitation District (PAWSD) Board of Directors unanimously approved changes to the district’s fees and rates at its Jan. 29 meeting.
These charges were also reviewed at the district’s December 2025 meeting.
Included in these changes are increases in water and sewer rates, capital investment fees, fees for waste haulers and equity buy-in fees.
The base rate for water service per month per equivalent unit (EU) increased from $33.35 to $34.35, and the wastewater service charge increased from $46.90 a month per EU to $50.18.
The capital investment fee for water rose from $9,227 to $9,504 per EU, while the wastewater capital investment fee rose to $16,654 per EU from $16,168.
Equity buy-in fees for water were increased from $4,706 to $6,571, while equity buy-in fees for wastewater rose from $3,372 to $3,430.
The board packet for the meeting indicates that equity buy-in fees are calculated from the net audited assets for the district’s water and wastewater fund divided by the total number of EUs and availability accounts in the district.
It adds that the increase was driven by major asset capitalizations and depreciation of assets.
Fees for waste haulers to deposit waste for treatment by PAWSD also increased from $22.44 per 100 gallons to $24.01.
Additionally, the fee increases approved by the board included changes to monthly availability fees, raw water charges and other miscellaneous fees.
Prior to the vote to approve the fees, PAWSD board chairman Gene Tautges commented that he was hoping to see a reduction in fees due to declining costs of commodities like fuel.
However, he added that these changes have not impacted the price of items related to water and wastewater service and that increases are necessary to ensure the district is meeting its costs.
PAWSD board member Glenn Walsh commented on the fact that some fees for turning on or off meters and other activities reliant on PAWSD staff had gone down and asked what drove this change.
PAWSD District Manager Andy Connor explained that the district has replaced many staff with a long tenure at the district with less experienced staff and that costs have decreased due to these staff members’ lesser salaries.
josh@pagosasun.com
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