Questions & Answers about Clean Water Services' 2008-09 rate increase

A: Effective July 1, 2008, the sanitary sewer rates will increase 4.5 percent or about $1.34 per month for the average household. The sanitary sewer increase will be allocated proportionately between Clean Water Services ($1.21) and Local Cities ($0.13).

The modest increase is primarily due to rising operating costs for utilities and chemicals; meet increasing federal water quality requirements; and pay for the upgrade and expansion of Clean Water Services’ four wastewater treatment facilities, 39 pump stations and nearly 800 miles of sewer pipes. There is no increase in the $4.00 per month Surface Water Management fee. Clean Water Services and its member cities are committed to delivering the best service at some of the most reasonable rates in the nation.

To ensure new construction pays its fair share of capital costs related to growth, the District is also recommending a $300 increase in the one-time System Development Charge (SDC) for new connections. The sanitary sewer SDC would increase from $2,800 to $3,100 per connection. The surface water management SDC remains unchanged at $500 per new connection, bringing the total SDC charges to $3,600.

 

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A: Clean Water Services and its member Cities are working on a new rate model that will provide stable funding for regional services and provide flexibility for the District and its member Cities to provide local services. The end result will be a "District-wide" sewer rate and a "Local" sewer rate. Clean Water Services will set the district rate and also a local rate for the unincorporated areas Clean Water Services serves. Each City may then adopt Clean Water Services' local rate or may choose to adopt their own rate to meet the needs of their community.

MONTHLY CHARGES FOR AN AVERAGE HOUSEHOLD

Based on average monthly water usage of 8 ccf (ccf = hundred cubic feet)

Charges	Current	Proposed
Sanitary Sewer Base Portion (65% approx)	$19.14	$20.12
Sanitary Sewer Use Portion (35% approx)	$1.31/ccf	$1.355/ccf
Average Monthly Sanitary Bill (based on 8 ccf/month usage)	$29.62	$30.96
Monthly Surface Water Management Bill	$4.00	$4.00
Combined Average Monthly Bill	$33.62	$34.96

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A: The modest increase is necessary to meet increasing operating costs, especially for energy and chemicals, and to meet increasing federal water quality requirements, upgrade and expand Clean Water Services’ four wastewater treatment facilities, and sustain the health and vitality of the Tualatin River Watershed.

New regulatory requirements will demand more investments.
Clean Water Services has met and exceeded regulatory requirements as a result of new and expanded facilities; however, there are new, more restrictive federal and state requirements related to bacteria and temperature that will require further investment. The District is investing in upgrades of some systems to insure we meet all the requirements and protect the Tualatin River. The new capital investments that are necessary to meet these more stringent regulations will be a major driver of the District’s future operating and capital costs.

Operational savings have been achieved despite growing customer base.
In the past 11 years, Clean Water Services' customer base has grown approximately 17.5 percent and now includes more than 500,000 residents, growth of about 100,000 customers since 1997. During the same period, District staffing levels have decreased by 9.4 percent from 352 positions in the Fiscal Year 1997 Budget to 318.85 FTE (full-time equivalent) positions in Fiscal Year 2008-09 Budget. Despite a growing customer base and increased costs, the District has been able to hold rates down by adopting new technologies, centralizing its facilities and significantly reducing its workforce.

The Tualatin River is cleaner now than it has been in decades.
Since the inception of Clean Water Services in 1970, the District has invested more than $770 million in wastewater treatment facilities, the sewer collection system, drainage and stream enhancement projects, water supply projects and other clean water infrastructure to improve water quality, protect public health and meet the needs of our growing community. As a result of these investments, the Tualatin River is cleaner today than it has been in decades.

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A: For each new dwelling, the developer pays a one-time fee to connect to the sanitary sewer and surface water management systems. These connection fees, known as system development charges (SDCs), reflect the value of existing infrastructure and future capacity requirements.

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A: Clean Water Services and its 12 member cities provide sanitary sewer and SWM services for more than 500,000 people. This large customer base results in economies of scale, as costs are shared by a larger number of customers.

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A: It costs more to clean wastewater than to provide pure tap water because the process involves a series of mechanical, biological and chemical treatments. All the chemicals used to clean wastewater must be removed before the water is released to the Tualatin River. Finally, the biosolids that settle out must be processed and recycled. Every day, Clean Water Services facilities clean an average of 58 million gallons of wastewater and produce 28.5 dry tons of biosolids.

Clean Water Services’ advanced (tertiary) treatment exceeds standards of nearly every other wastewater facility in the nation. The cleaned wastewater actually improves the water quality of the Tualatin River.

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A: You can reduce sewer charges by using water wisely. Clean Water Services and its member cities calculate part of the bill based on the amount of wastewater a household produces. The usage portion of the charge is calculated from the customer’s water usage the previous winter (November-April). By using winter averages, the customer is not charged more in the summer for outdoor watering, since that water doesn’t go into the wastewater system. A portion of the charge, the base rate, reflects the fixed costs of service and is not affected by water usage. Conserving water can lower the sewer bill.

Typical Monthly Sewer Bill Comparison

City/Agency	Level of Treatment	Current Average Monthly Sanitary Charge	Current Average Monthly SWM Charge	Current Average Monthly Combined Bill	Rate Change for FY 2006-07	New Combined Monthly Bill as of July 1, 2006
Clean Water Services	Advanced Tertiary	$29.62	$4.00	$33.62	4.5%, sanitary only	$34.96
McMinnville	Advanced Tertiary	$51.39	$0.00	$51.39	2.75% for sanitary	$52.80
Portland	Secondary	$34.20	$18.30	$52.50	6% (storm and sanitary)	$55.65
Clackamas County Service District #1	Secondary	$26.00	$6.00	$32.00	estimated increase sanitary only 11%	$34.86
Vancouver, WA New rates effective 1-1-09	Secondary, Activated Sludge	$33.16 (a) $50.11 (b)	$6.38	$39.54 (a) $56.49 (b)	various rates	$39.54 (a) $56.49 (b)

Vancouver - Outside	$56.49
Portland	$55.65
McMinnville	$52.80
Vancouver - Inside	$39.54
Clean Water Services	$34.96
CCSD No. 1	$34.86
$-	$10.00	$20.00	$30.00	$40.00	$50.00	$60.00	$70.00

Note: Based on data collected prior to 2008-09 budget adoption and subject to change.

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A: Every year, from April through June, Clean Water Services goes through a budget process during which rates for the District’s services are established. Public meeting notices are published in local newspapers, inviting the public to comment on proposed rates before the budget is adopted. Before any rate change, Clean Water Services issues news releases to local newspapers and mails billing inserts to customers to help notify Washington County residents of rate increases.

Clean Water Services’ Board of Directors adopts the District’s budget and rates. Citizens have opportunities to speak to Clean Water Services' Board of Directors regarding the 2008-09 proposed budget and rates at the upcoming hearing. On May 9, 2008, the Budget Committee considered the FY 2008-09 proposed budget and recommended it to the Board of Directors for adoption. The schedule is as follows:

For more information, contact Clean Water Services Public Affairs at (503) 681-3600.

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