Clovis water bills change on January 1, 2027, and the headline number understates the change for most homes. The city is getting rid of its three-tier pricing and charging one flat rate per 1,000 gallons. Under that change, a Buchanan Estates household with typical use sees a larger percentage increase in 2027 than the house down Timmy Avenue that runs its sprinklers hard all summer. The heaviest users are the ones least affected at first.
That runs against how most people think about water pricing, and it matters if you own a home on the city system or are comparing Clovis homes on total monthly cost.
What Changes on January 1
The Clovis City Council approved the new structure unanimously on April 20, 2026. The Fresno Bee reported that 76 written protests came in, far short of the majority needed to block it. A June 2026 council packet kept the January 1, 2027 start date. The only change was moving the rates out of the Municipal Code and into a council resolution.
Each bill has two parts, and both change.
The fixed charge. Today every single-family home pays a flat $27.71 per two-month bill, whatever its meter size. Starting in January, the charge depends on meter size. Homes with 5/8-inch, 3/4-inch, and 1-inch meters pay $33.46 per bill. A 1.5-inch meter pays $55.36, roughly double the current flat charge.
The volume charge. Here is the current tier structure next to the new flat rate, from the city's Raftelis water rate study:
| Water used per two-month bill | Current rate per 1,000 gal | 2027 | 2028 | 2029 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| First 23,000 gallons | $1.13 | $2.02 | $2.44 | $2.88 |
| 23,000 to 40,000 gallons | $1.88 | $2.02 | $2.44 | $2.88 |
| Over 40,000 gallons | $2.33 | $2.02 | $2.44 | $2.88 |
In 2027 the most expensive gallons get cheaper, from $2.33 to $2.02, while the cheapest gallons go from $1.13 to $2.02. GV Wire reported that Kevin Tuttle, the city's assistant public utilities director, described the January step as a 21% increase in the average rate. That step includes a 79% increase in volume rates for the lowest users. Per-gallon costs actually fall in the first year for anyone using more than 40,000 gallons in a two-month period.
Three Bills From the Same Street
The city's own bill examples assume a 1-inch meter. The study calls that the minimum size for new homes and the most common meter in the system. Running three usage levels through the published rates gives these estimated two-month bills:
| Two-month use, 1-inch meter | Current bill | 2027 bill | 2027 change | 2029 bill | 2029 change vs. today |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8,000 gallons, light use | $36.75 | $49.62 | +35% | $70.82 | +93% |
| 24,000 gallons, typical use | $55.58 | $81.94 | +47% | $116.90 | +110% |
| 80,000 gallons, heavy summer watering | $178.86 | $195.06 | +9% | $278.18 | +56% |
These are our estimates from the city's published rate tables, covering water charges only. They line up with the city's own figure. The city's rate page puts a typical 1-inch bill at $40.99 a month for 24,000 gallons under the 2027 rates, and its comparison graphic rounds today's typical bill to $28 a month.
The heavy user's bill still goes up in dollars, because the higher fixed charge applies to everyone. But in percentage terms, the household in the middle takes the biggest hit. The old tiers gave that household its first 23,000 gallons at the cheapest rate, and that discount is the thing being removed.
The gap narrows over time. Each of the next steps raises one flat rate for everyone, so by 2029 the heavy user is paying 56% more than today. That is still the smallest increase of the three, but no longer a minor one.
Why the Cheapest Water Got the Biggest Raise
The tiers were not dropped as a favor to big users. At the April meeting, some residents objected that removing the tiers takes away a reason to conserve. Staff answered that the state now strictly requires rates to track the actual cost of delivering water. Following court rulings against other cities, Clovis does not yet have detailed enough data to defend tiers, Tuttle said. "We don't have that level of data yet," he told the council, according to GV Wire.
The total amount the city needs to collect did not shrink. GV Wire reported that staff tied the increase to rising operating costs and about $83 million in projects over five years, for a system Tuttle described as "coming up on 50 years old in a lot of aspects." If the same revenue has to come from a flat price, gallons that used to be discounted have to make up the difference.
The total increase depends on how you add it up. GV Wire later described it as rates rising 60% over three years, which adds the 21%, 21% and 18% steps together. Compounded, as the rate study calculates it, the increase is 72.8% by the 2029 step and 83.3% after the 3% steps on July 1, 2029 and July 1, 2030. A buyer estimating ownership costs a few years out should use the compounded number.
The First New Bills Arrive in the Quiet Season
Clovis's winter watering schedule runs November 1 through March 31. During those months, odd-numbered addresses can water outdoors only on Saturday and even-numbered addresses only on Sunday. The new rates take effect while yards are getting one watering day a week, so the first bills will mostly reflect indoor use.
The city's current summer schedule runs April 1 through October 31, with odd addresses watering Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday, even addresses Wednesday, Friday and Sunday, and no outdoor watering on Mondays. Those are the months when a two-month bill can climb well past the old 23,000-gallon cheap tier. Lower winter use under the new rates is a poor guide to summer 2027.
The GV Wire report also noted that the city can add a surcharge during droughts if conservation cuts revenue.
Where Buchanan Estates' Shared Greenery Fits In
Each household's meter covers only its own lot. The greenbelts, medians and roundabouts along North Timmy Avenue are paid for separately. Clovis's maintenance district report for LMD No. 1 places Buchanan Estates III, V and IV, Tracts 4958, 4986 and 5026, in Benefit Zone No. 10. That zone covers the Timmy Avenue greenbelt and medians, the roundabouts at West Heritage, West Quincy and West Enterprise, and the entry features at Timmy and Nees.
The district's engineer's report lists "the furnishing of water for the irrigation" among the costs the district pays. Meanwhile, the rate study moves irrigation-only and commercial accounts from their current $1.13 and $1.53 tiers to the same flat rate homes will pay. So the new rates affect Buchanan Estates owners in two places. One is the bimonthly water bill. The other is the annual assessment that pays to water the shared greenery, whatever the district sets that assessment at in future budgets.
For a buyer comparing homes, the practical point is to look at both lines. A home's water history is shaped by its yard and its meter. The assessment is the same for every parcel in the zone.
Quick Answers
Does a bigger meter cost more now? Starting in 2027, yes. Today the residential fixed charge is $27.71 per bill for every home. Under the new schedule, a 1.5-inch meter is $55.36 per bill, compared with $33.46 for 1-inch and smaller meters.
Does this change sewer or trash charges? No. The city says the 2026 action changes water service only.
When are the remaining increases? January 1, 2028, January 1, 2029, July 1, 2029, and July 1, 2030.
This post is general information about published city rates, not legal, tax or financial advice. Check your own bill and your property's assessments with the City of Clovis or the right professional.
If you're selling in Buchanan Estates next year, buyers will start asking about summer water bills under the new rates, and a real bill history answers that better than any estimate. Bennie Clay and The Clayson Group can include your utility and assessment costs in your pricing plan and your home's marketing. Start with your instant home valuation, then let's talk through your numbers.
