Board approves sewer rate hike
July 30, 2008
By Emily Keller
More than 50,000 people in parts of Sammamish, Issaquah and unincorporated King County will soon pay more for water and sewer service.
The Sammamish Plateau Water and Sewer District, which is one of two sewer authorities serving the city, has raised its service rates by 9 percent and increased its connection fees for new users. Four percent of the increase is attributed to inflation and 5 percent is for long-term capital reinvestment, according to the district.
The rate hike takes effect in the next billing cycle, beginning with Sept. 22 bills. The district bills customers in eight time cycles and each bill covers the two months leading up to the billing date.
The district’s Board of Commissioners voted 5-0 to approve the increase at a July 21 meeting, following a public hearing that had no public speakers, said Angel Barton, the district’s finance manager.
The board also approved policies to set aside $2.5 million for system replacement and rehabilitation in the 2008 budget, reducing the district’s need to dip into the general fund or issue debt to cover those costs, Barton said. The district will most likely continue to set those funds aside in future budgets as well.
The district, which turns 60 this year, will use that money to repair things like old and substandard water mains, which are some of the district’s oldest parts, Barton said.
Water customers will now pay between $23.32 and $314.35 bi-monthly for basic service from the district, depending on the size of their meter. Owners of single-family homes will pay from $.0177 to $.0446 per cubic foot of water used, depending on the amount.
The district will also charge single-family homeowners $9.41 per billing period for up to 400 cubic feet of water to hook residents up to the county system. The prior rate was $8.63.
New account fees will rise from $5-10 to $7.50-$25 and the meter testing fee will rise from $50 to $60.
A representative for one of the district’s customers, the Issaquah School District, said the rise in water rates are one of several cost increases that influenced the school district’s decision to increase its utility budget by $250,000 this year for its 24 schools.
“It’s going to have an effect but it’s not going to be really drastic. There’s a lot of our prices that are going up this year so we’re doing a lot of things to be more efficient and reduce our usage,” said Sara Niegowski, director of communications for the school district.
But Niegowski also noted that the increase in costs could have a greater impact as time goes on.
“A lot of different commodities have risen this year and we’ve been able to stay afloat, but looking down the line as things keep going up, it could definitely be a problem in the future,” she said.
The Sammamish Plateau Water and Sewer District provides water to 15,700 customers and sewer service to 9,300 customers.
Reporter Emily Keller can be reached at 392-6434, ext. 242, or ekeller@isspress.com.
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