Recently, the City Council of Phoenix was faced a possible water rate increases to find a way to address what has been referred to as “a looming environmental disaster.”

The Phoenix City Council voted by a 5-3 vote against the proposed 12% water rate hike that would have raised funds to upgrade the city’s outdated and aging water infrastructure.

The fifth largest city in the U.S., Phoenix will need a total of $500 million in order to build the necessary infrastructure for accessing alternative water sources.

A vote which was held on Dec. 12 among city councilmembers and according to the proposal, residents would have faced a water bill increase of at least 6 percent next year and another 6 percent increase in 2020.

According to experts, the work that need to be funded by an increase is vital for the future of Phoenix.

Mayor Thelda Williams initially said yes but changed her vote.

“I’m going to vote no so it can be brought back for reconsideration because this is something that is too important to this city … something that cannot be ignored,” she said.

“Water is essential to not only our lives, the growth of this city and continuation.”

The failed proposed increase would have been applied to the fixed monthly service charge, the environmental charge and seasonal volume charges. The increase was expected to produce $24.1 million of additional revenue in the first year and $25 million the second year.

The last water increase was approved in January 2016, which raised rates 3 percent in 2016 and another 2 percent in 2017.