Doyon wants to raise Fort Richardson water rates by nearly half

Military families in on-base housing at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson could see their water bills jump by nearly half.

Doyon Utilities has asked state regulators to raise water rates at Fort Richardson by almost 51 percent — the steepest single increase in a package of military utility tariffs now before the Regulatory Commission of Alaska. The change would push the installation's annual water revenue requirement from about $1 million to roughly $1.5 million.

The hit could land twice for some households. Doyon has also filed a separate wastewater tariff covering the same Fort Richardson areas, so residents there face proposed increases on both services at once.

Doyon holds 50-year contracts to run the utilities at Fort Greely, JBER Richardson, and Fort Wainwright. Its full package covers heat, water, wastewater, and electric across all three bases, and not every change is an increase — Fort Greely heat rates would drop a fraction of a percent. But the Fort Richardson water jump dwarfs the rest. Doyon has pointed to infrastructure spending, including a new ultrafiltration plant at Fort Wainwright.

The company wants the new rates in effect August 15.