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Utility Services & Rates
The City of Brighton ("City") provides water, wastewater and storm drainage services to customers within the city.
The owner of a property is the one ultimately responsible for the utility bill. So long as the property is within the City limits and is connected to the City's system a bill for the monthly fixed charges will continue to be generated even if a property is vacant and there is no usage.
Rates are reviewed periodically and are approved by the City Council. Rates are determined by analyzing current and future operational costs and capital improvements to ensure the city can continue to provide quality water, wastewater, and storm drainage services.
Rates effective January 1, 2026
Water Services
The city provides residents and businesses with safe and dependable water. The city maintains a water treatment plan as well as infrastructure to store and deliver the water to customers. During times of peak demand (typically irrigation season in the summer) the city may use additional water from surrounding jurisdictions to help meet demand. The city charges fixed fees for water service which provide steady revenues needed to maintain the water system as well as charges based on the customer's water usage.
Current water charges include:
- Water Service Charge - a flat fee used for general operation and maintenance of the water system
- Water Treatment Plant (WTP) Fee - a flat fee used to fund the City's new water treatment plant currently under construction.
- Contract Water Fee - a flat fee used to pay for additional water from surrounding jurisdictions during times of peak demand.
- Water Usage Charge - is based on the customers' water usage. The city reads water meters on a monthly basis and billing cycles are between 28 and 32 days in length.
Wastewater Services
Wastewater services are the collection and treatment of sewage (i.e., water containing waste that goes into the sewer). Wastewater is collected through the City's system and sent to either Metro Water Recovery ("Metro") or the Town of Lochbuie ("Lochbuie") Wastewater Treatment Plants. Metro and Lochbuie bill the city for the wastewater flow sent to the treatment facilities and the city in turn bills customers for the collection and treatment of wastewater.
Customers serviced by Lochbuie are generally those located on the eastern side of the city towards the Town of Lochbuie. The remaining customers are serviced by Metro. The map below shows the areas serviced by Metro vs. Lochbuie. A pdf version of this map can also be downloaded at the bottom of this webpage.
Current wastewater (i.e. sewer) charges include:
- Wastewater Service Charge: a flat fee charged to ensure the on-going operations and maintenance of the system.
- Wastewater Usage Charge: charges based on usage (see below for details on how sewer usage is calculated).
- Wastewater fee: a flat fee charged to customers serviced by Metro starting January 2024 used to pay for the cost incurred to buy all customers into the servicing by Metro Wastewater Treatment Plant. The charge does not apply to those serviced by Lochbuie. The map below shows the areas serviced by Metro vs. Lochbuie. A pdf version of this map can also be downloaded at the bottom of this webpage.
Calculation of Wastewater (i.e. Sewer) Usage
For residential customers, the City calculates the average water usage during the winter months of December, January, February. This amount is then used as the basis for sewer usage charges and is recalculated every year. The minimum sewer usage charge is 3,000 gallons per month. If any circumstances, such as a water leak, occurred during the winter months that would have resulted in higher-than-expected water usage, please contact the City's Utility Customer Service so that sewer usage calculations can be properly evaluated.
Multi-family and commercial customers are charged for sewer usage based on the water usage shown on the meter measuring indoor water consumption. If a property has two separate meters, one measuring indoor water consumption and one measuring irrigation or outdoor water consumption, only the bill for the meter measuring indoor water consumption will contain sewer usage charges. If the property has one meter measuring both indoor and outdoor water consumption, the bill associated with that meter will contain sewer usage charges.
Storm Drainage Services
Storm drainage is a system designed to carry rainfall and snowmelt. Storm drainage inlets are typically found in curbs and low-lying outdoor areas. The city holds a storm drainage discharge permit from the State of Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment and is responsible for the oversight, enforcement and maintenance of stormwater quality within the entire City boundary.
All customers within the City’s boundaries are charged a storm drainage fee to fund the City’s Stormwater Program, including permit compliance, education and outreach programs and inspection staff. Residential customers are charged a flat fee per month. Multi-family and commercial customers are billed for storm drainage based upon the impervious area of the property. The impervious area is any surface that prevents or reduces the infiltration of water into the underlying soil. This can include but is not limited to, driveways, roofs, and parking areas. The greater the impervious area is, the greater the impact to the storm drainage system.
Certain customers located within the South Beebe Draw Metropolitan District (“District”) also receive a storm drainage fee from the district. The district was created to provide financing, construction, and maintenance of certain public infrastructure within a defined boundary. Storm drainage improvements within the district’s boundaries are maintained through the assessment of the district’s storm drainage fee.