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City of Bartlesville
Posted: Apr 21, 2026 3:10 PMUpdated: Apr 21, 2026 3:10 PM
Bartlesville City Council Discusses Possible Water Rate Increase
Nathan Thompson
The Bartlesville City Council met for nearly 2 1/2 hours Tuesday afternoon discussing the upcoming budget year, including a possible increase in water rates for customers.
City leaders say it may be necessary to increase water rates by more than 13% as costs continue to rise due to inflation and tariffs. On top of that, volumetric water usage is down slightly and state government regulations are increasing for wastewater.
The combination of the higher costs for supplies, the lower usage and tighter regulations means the end product - drinkable water - costs more to produce and treat as wastewater.
Ward 4 Councilor Aaron Kirkpatrick says he understands the need to raise rates, but he is concerned on two fronts.
City Manager Mike Bailey says the monthly base rate has always been lower than sustainable. The city has made up that difference with increasing rates based on the amount of water used. However, as water usage declines the model needs to be adjusted to meet costs.
If the initial increase is approved by the council, Bailey says forecasting indicates a larger jump would not be necessary in the second through fifth years of rate studies.
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