No additional water rate hikes are ahead for Nevada Irrigation District customers. After months of study and discussion, the majority of the Board of Directors has voted to accept the recommendation of the Water Rates Committee to implement the five-point-seven percent increases, approved last year, and not pursue any additional immediate rate-setting actions. But Board member Nick Wilcox, who is also on the Rates Committee, continues to oppose the increases for the 26-thousand treated water customers, which apply for three straight years…

Meanwhile, that same study showed that the rates the five-thousand raw water customers pay, including agricultural, only cover about half of district expenses and it would take a 46-percent increase to close the gap. Wilcox says that means the district’s service costs will continue to have to be heavily-subsidized…

The Board also agreed that the Water Rates Committee should continue to meet to consider a subsidy for agricultural water customers. But Wilcox says there’s still no source of funds for that.