Sewer rates could jump $30 per month

The Washington City Council took a close look at water and sewer rate increases at its special meeting Wednesday. The city will have to generate about $1 million more in sewer fees to pay for the new sewer plant. The new sewer plant will cost about $15 million. City Administrator Dave Plyman said the final price tag is likely to be upwards of $20 million. Plyman presented a plan Wednesday to generate the necessary revenue. Under the proposal, many Washington residents would pay $30 to $40 more per month in utility rates than they are now.

Plyman presented the council with a spreadsheet showing how water and sewer rates are calculated. He showed them how changing one of the values, such as the base sewer charge, affected the amount of money generated.

At Wednesday?s meeting, Plyman made it clear to the councilors that they would be the ones to set the rates, not him, and that he was merely making suggestions. The councilors approved by a 4-0 vote a motion to codify Plyman?s suggestions into an ordinance, the first reading of which will be at the May 18 council meeting. The ordinance must be approved three times before it becomes law. Councilors Fred Stark, Karen Wilson-Johnson, Merlin Hagie and Mike Roth voted for the motion. Councilors Bob Shepherd and Russ Zieglowsky were absent.

Plyman suggested nearly tripling the variable sewer rate, raising it 176 percent from $1.27 per 100 cubic feet to $3.50 per month. The steepest increases will occur to the base charges of heavy users. Under the current setup, everyone pays a monthly base charge of $17.50 except multiple family dwellings, which pay only $12. Under Plyman?s proposal, the base rate for residences and multi-family dwellings would be $35. It would also be $35 for businesses that use up to 1,400 cubic feet. Businesses that use between 1,400 and 15,000 cubic feet would pay a base charge of $70. The next tier, from 15,000 to 100,000, would pay $140 as a base rate and any business using more than 100,000 cubic feet would pay $280.

Plyman said residential customers who used over 1,400 would still be charged the flat $35 fee. He said there are very few customers who use this much.

Water rates will rise under Plyman?s plan, too, but not as sharply. He suggested increasing water rates 10 percent from $1.87 to $2.06 on those who use between 0 and 1,400 cubic feet of water. He recommended raising it 15 percent, from $1.76 to $2.02 for those consuming between 1,400 and 15,000, and 20 percent, from $1.52 to $1.82, for those consuming between 15,000 and 100,000. Those who consume more than 100,000 cubic feet of water would see an increase of 25 percent, from $1.20 to $1.50.

Plyman said water rates haven?t risen in four or five years and that the city is having trouble covering its expenses for water line repairs.

Plyman suggested, and the council agreed to, a proposal to increase the garbage and recycling fee from $2.35 to $4.35. This fee applies only to residential customers. Plyman said the city is not covering its garbage and recycling costs with the current fee. He also suggested a ?sewer premium? of $1 for those who use the city?s sewer outside the city limits.

The end result of these increases is that residential customers will pay at least $20 more and many will pay $30 or $40 more in utilities per month. A residential customer who now uses 100 cubic feet per month pays about $33. Under the new plan, the customer would pay $56. Someone who uses 400 cubic feet pays $43, and that would jump to $73 under the proposal. A resident who uses 700 cubic feet would see their bill go from $53 to $90. Those who consume 1,000 cubic feet would pay $44 more in utilities, from $63 to $107.

Plyman explained why he suggested increasing the base charge so much as opposed to the variable rate. He said most of the water treated at the wastewater plant is storm water infiltration and not actually from the residences. He said that because infiltration is a community problem, and not one caused by the high users, that justifies a higher base charge to spread the cost out among all the users.