Colorado Springs Utilities customers see higher bills as the city sees high temperatures and dry conditions

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KKTV) — In the past month, many throughout Colorado Springs have seen higher utility bills.

Jared Benson and his family are among those who have paid a little more.

Benson and his partner don’t have central air conditioning, relying instead on at least one window unit and some fans to keep their home cool. Their teenagers spend part of the day gaming, and outside, the two have many plants adorning their yard, requiring regular watering.

For the plants, they have a system.

“We have a trickle system in here,” Benson said, “but it’s actually not doing quite enough.”

This means more watering, on top of using a little more electricity to keep things cool. On average, Benson said his family pays between $200 and $300 on their utility bill, with the most recent being closer to $300.

“For us, that’s like, a 10-20% jump,” he said.

For his family, he said it isn’t a massive difference, but for many, it could make quite a difference.

“It depends who you ask,” he said. “I mean, that’s half a tank of gas. So, yeah, could be a huge deal.”

He said the cost of living going up compounds the issue, and on social media, many 11 News viewers said the same.

“Seven straight days of 90+ degree temps,” one viewer wrote, “cutting back is not happening.”

Alex Trefry, a spokesperson for Colorado Springs Utilities, said those high temperatures are, in part, what’s driven the higher bills this past July.

“In July, we’ve had about 60% less precipitation than we do on an average year, and so less precipitation means more outdoor watering, but it also means Colorado Springs is not being cooled down,” Trefry said. “So, air conditioning is working more and things like that.”

On average, Trefry said Utilities customers used 17% more electricity this July when compared to July of 2025 and 6% more water.

But that’s not the only factor.

Colorado Springs Utilities also implemented time-of-day Energy Wise rates. This means using electricity during the peak hours between 5-9 p.m. warrants higher rates.

Trefry said this change, on a regular month, wouldn’t make much of a difference. On average, he said customers see a $4 a month difference. But in a month like this past July, it results in higher bills.

He said that makes July’s bill fairly unusual, but nonetheless, he recommends that anyone worried about it take a look at their usage on a daily basis or call their office.

“We are very willing to work with you, go step by step through your bill to identify where any changes may be and how to best address that,” he said.

He added that they have several programs to address different kinds of issues.

And if you are struggling financially, he recommends calling Pikes Peak United Way at 211.