"We were told as homeowners our water and sewer fees would go [down] as the community grew. That is not the case." That line comes from one of the public comments a Dry Creek Ranch homeowner sent to state regulators. Idaho Press printed it when it reported that water bills in the community would rise.
The headline figure was a 19.28% increase spread over three years. The approved tariff tells a different story. The fixed charge for a home on a ¾-inch meter went down. The increase sits in three places a buyer won't see on a listing: summer water use, the homeowners association's own water bill, and a question about the wells that the state decided to settle in 2029.
Dry Creek Ranch is unusual among Boise-area communities because its water and sewer don't come from a city system. Water comes from Dry Creek Water Company, a privately owned utility that the Idaho Public Utilities Commission regulates. Sewer comes from a separate company, Dry Creek Sewer Company, and the commission doesn't regulate sewer. If you're comparing this community with other foothill or master-planned neighborhoods, that setup changes how the monthly cost works.
The ¾-Inch Fixed Charge Went Down in April
Before the commission's April 15, 2026 final order, residential customers paid a $47.50 fixed monthly charge plus $2.00 per 1,000 gallons, year-round. The new tariff sets the fixed charge by meter size and adds a summer rate for water used from May 1 through September 30.
| Residential charge | Before April 15, 2026 | From April 15, 2026 | From April 15, 2027 | From April 15, 2028 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fixed, ¾-inch meter | $47.50 | $42.00 | $42.00 | $42.00 |
| Fixed, 1-inch meter | $47.50 | $52.00 | $52.00 | $52.00 |
| Winter usage, per 1,000 gal. | $2.00 | $2.00 | $2.00 | $2.00 |
| Summer usage, per 1,000 gal. | $2.00 | $2.59 | $2.77 | $2.95 |
The tariff also adds a $0.34 monthly DEQ fee per connection. Water use is billed only in full 1,000-gallon units, so partial units aren't charged.
So a home on a ¾-inch meter now has a lower base charge than it did last winter. A home on a 1-inch meter has a higher one. Meter size is now part of what you're buying.
Summer Water Use Carries the Increase
Here is what that schedule means for two hypothetical months on a ¾-inch meter. These are calculated from the published rates, not from actual bills.
- A 6,000-gallon winter month: The old rates came to $59.50. Under the new rates it's $54.00.
- A 15,000-gallon summer month: The old rates came to $77.50. It's $80.85 at the 2026 summer rate and $86.25 once the 2028 summer rate takes effect.
The DEQ fee adds $0.34 to each month. The summer rate for 2026 ended September 30. The next step, $2.77 per 1,000 gallons, takes effect April 15, 2027, and the summer billing season starts May 1.
The commission said why it built the rates this way. Staff had recommended seasonal pricing to encourage conservation during peak use and to ease concerns about whether the company's permitted water volume would be enough at full buildout. The commission phased the change in over three years. It also said this sets up a possible seasonal tiered block rate for all customers in the next rate case. A household with a large irrigated yard pays more under this structure, and the current order already names a stricter rate design as the likely next step.
The HOA Now Pays for 61 Meters, and Dues Carry That Cost
The second place the increase lands is the homeowners association. The reason goes back to how this utility came under state oversight.
Until recently, the company sold water to the HOA, and the HOA redistributed it to homeowners. A 2024 regulatory settlement changed that to direct service and billing of each homeowner. The commission approved the company's tariff and certificate effective January 1, 2025, under Order No. 36430. Once each home was billed directly, the HOA became a customer too. It has 61 separate common-lot meters.
The 2026 order phases those meters up to the same fixed charges other customers pay:
- April 15, 2026: $15 per meter, whatever the size.
- April 15, 2027: $28.50 for a ¾-inch meter, $33.50 for 1-inch, $82.50 for 2-inch and $227.50 for 4-inch.
- April 15, 2028: $42, $52, $150 and $455 for those same sizes.
Water use on those meters is billed on top of the fixed charges, at the same winter and summer rates homeowners pay.
The order also records how this connects to homeowners. Staff's original plan would have billed each common-lot meter like any other customer right away. The company estimated that would add about $60,000 to the HOA's 2026 bill in the middle of its budget year. The company also told the commission that the HOA serves the same customers it does, so any savings residents got from shifting water costs to the HOA "would eventually be counteracted by higher HOA dues." The phase-in spreads that cost over three budget cycles. It doesn't remove it.
Homeowners pay dues and read announcements through the community's homeowner portal. A buyer can ask for the association's current budget and dues to see how its water costs are planned.
The Wells Were Built for 1,889 Lots
The third piece is the one the homeowner's comment was really about. As of December 2025, the system had about 700 water customers. Commission staff counted 705 customers, 811 lots completed or under development, and 1,889 lots at full buildout. Three wells can produce about 9,500 gallons per minute, and staff found that capacity exceeded projected demand at full buildout, including fire flow.
In other words, roughly 700 households are on a system designed for more than 1,800. For the rate base, staff counted only the share of the large assets it projected would be in use as of April 15, 2026, including required fire flow: 15.85% of the third well, 38.54% of the storage tank and connecting pipeline, and 10.47% of Booster Pump Station No. 1. The commission approved a revenue requirement of $1,024,038. The company had asked for $1,637,275.
The company had also proposed an "Excess Capacity Recovery Mechanism," a set path for recovering those oversized assets as new homes connect. The commission called it "premature and unnecessary at this time." It noted the approved rates stay in place until 2029, which gives the company time to file for additional recovery with updated data in a separate case. The cost of the unused capacity has been postponed, not written off. Whoever owns a home here in 2029 will be the customer when that question comes back.
On ownership, the company's filed operating agreement names BHH Investors 1414, LLC as Dry Creek Water Company's sole member. The facility plan in the state record was prepared for Boise Hunter Homes LLC, the community's developer.
Sewer Has No State Rate Review
All of that rate review covers water only. The Idaho Public Utilities Commission says it has no jurisdiction over sewer operations. BoiseDev reported in 2023 that state oversight would not reach Dry Creek's sewer rates.
Dry Creek Sewer Company's January 2025 notice raised the residential monthly fee by $7.25, to $92.25, effective March 1, 2025. The utility's FAQ, updated in June 2026, still lists $92.25.
For a home on a ¾-inch meter, that makes the fixed monthly cost $134.59 before any water use: $42 for water, $0.34 for the DEQ fee and $92.25 for sewer. The sewer fee is the larger share, and it's the share with no public rate case behind it.
What to Ask For Before You Write an Offer
Every item below is a document or a number, not a judgment call.
- Meter size. A ¾-inch meter starts at $42 a month and a 1-inch meter at $52.
- Summer bills. Ask for May-through-September utility bills to see how much water the home actually uses during the high-rate season.
- The HOA budget and dues. Look for how the association has budgeted for its 61 common-lot meters as the fixed charges rise in April 2027 and April 2028.
- The current sewer notice. Check the utility's site for any fee changes after March 2025.
- The rate case itself. The full record for case DRY-W-25-01 is on the commission's case page, and the final order explains each finding.
This is general information, not legal or financial advice. Confirm how these rates and HOA obligations apply to a specific home with the utility, the HOA and your own advisors.
Common Questions
Is Dry Creek Ranch on Boise city water? No. Water comes from three wells run by Dry Creek Water Company, a private utility the state regulates. Sewer comes from a separate private company.
What does a new connection cost? The order set hookup fees of $430 for a ¾-inch meter and $580 for a 1-inch meter. The company had proposed a flat $648.
Did residents weigh in on the increase? The commission received three public comments, all opposed to the increase. No customers attended or testified at the February 19, 2026 customer hearing.
If you're weighing a home in Dry Creek Ranch, I can help you request the utility history and HOA documents during your contract period and put the monthly numbers side by side with the other neighborhoods on your list. Reach out to Stephen Sawyer to schedule a free consultation.
