Clean Water Services' Budget Committee To Review Fiscal Year 2004 Budget Includes 3.5 Percent Sewer Rate Increase

Hillsboro, OR — April 29, 2003 — The Clean Water Services' Budget Committee will meet on Friday, May 9 to consider the 2003-2004 budget that would increase sewer rates by 3.5 percent and fund more than $45 million of capital infrastructure to improve and protect clean water in the Tualatin River Watershed. 
         
The Budget Committee will meet to review the Fiscal Year 2003-2004 proposed budget beginning at 9 a.m. on Friday, May 9 at Clean Water Services’ Rock Creek Advanced Wastewater Treatment Facility administration building, 3125 SE River Road in Hillsboro.
         
Clean Water Services' proposed 3.5 percent sanitary sewer rate increase would be effective July 1, 2003. The increase is about 88 cents per month for the average residential customer, which will increase the charge from $24.95 to about $25.83 per month. This will be just the third sanitary sewer increase in the last seven years.  There is no proposed increase for the Surface Water Management (SWM) fee, which has remained at $4.00 per month for residential customers since 1998.
         
The modest sanitary sewer rate increase will pay for debt service on bonds issued for the upgrade and expansion of the District’s four wastewater treatment facilities, to meet new federal and state regulatory requirements, and maintain the health and vitality of the Tualatin River Basin. 
         
“Despite a growing customer base and increased service demands, we have been able to hold rates down by utilizing new technologies, centralizing our facilities and significantly reducing our workforce,” said General Manager Bill Gaffi.  “The savings have allowed us to invest nearly $150 million in the system while keeping rate increases to a minimum over the last five years.”
         
Clean Water Services customer base has grown from 385,000 in 1998 to 463,000 today. During the same period, District staffing levels have remained unchanged and are actually down 22 percent from 1996.
         
To ensure new construction pays its fair share of capital costs related to growth, the District is also recommending a $100 increase in the one-time System Development Charge (SDC). The sanitary sewer SDC would increase from $2,300 to $2,400 per connection, bringing the total SDC charges to $2900. This will be the first increase in these fees since 1998.
        
Clean Water Services' total budget is $109 million and includes $36.1 million in operating expenses; $42 million in capital investments; $27 million in debt service on outstanding bonds; and $3.9 million in capitalized staffing costs.
       
Clean Water Services’ Budget Committee includes the five Board of Directors and five citizens. The Budget Committee will review the proposed budget and make a recommendation to Clean Water Services Board of Directors.
       
Clean Water Services is the sanitary sewer and surface water management utility for more than 460,000 people in urban Washington County and small portions of Multnomah County, Clackamas County, Lake Oswego, and Portland. Clean Water Services operates four wastewater treatment plants, constructs and maintains flood management and water quality projects and manages flow in the Tualatin River to improve water quality and protect fish habitat.  Although Clean Water Services maintains a close working relationship with Washington County government, it is a separately managed and financed public utility.

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