An Orange County Superior Court judge ruled Monday in a closely watched case that customers of a water district cannot void rate increases using a referendum.

The ruling comes in the protracted fight between a group of Yorba Linda residents and their water provider over a $25-a-month rate increase. The dispute has at times become heated as both sides have accused the other of distorting facts. Two of the water district’s five board members now face recalls, and one other board member announced last week that he would retire rather than face reelection in the fall.