Richmond council keeps its limit on water service outside city limits

Richmond will keep its rule that city culinary water generally is not provided outside city limits, after a City Council discussion on Aug. 19, 2026. The minutes record that "the consensus of the City Council was unanimous in not changing the current Ordinance." No motion or vote was taken on the item. ^[1]

Under the existing code, exceptions require a public vote by the council acting as the water authority. ^[1]

What staff presented

City Recorder Justin Lewis said the city would gain the monthly utility fee, a one-time water dedication payment and a one-time water impact fee from outside connections, and developers would pay for required line extensions. He listed the potential to create dead-end waterlines and reduced capacity in the existing system with each outside connection as disadvantages, along with no sewer fees, added coordination with the county and no city control over county zoning. ^[1]

Mr. Lewis said that if the city serves outside customers, state law requires a service area map to be sent to the state engineer, and once an area is designated, no parcel within it can be denied a connection. Mayor Jeff Young said the city's position reserves the benefit for property taxpayers within the city. ^[1]

The topic also came up at the council's July 21, 2026 meeting, when Mr. Lewis said an approved outside connection would pay the same impact fee. ^[2]