The City of North Bend has scheduled a public hearing to solicit input and comments on a proposed sewer rate increase. The Public Hearing will happen during the Tuesday, February 16th regular City Council Meeting at 7PM. The meeting will be held online using Zoom Meetings.
The City is proposing a sewer rate increase of 2.5% per year for the years 2022-2025, as well as an increase to the General Facility Charge (GFC) for new sewer connections in ULID areas, in order to fund Phase 2 Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) High Priority Improvements (HPI). [Note: GFCs will be decreased beginning in 2021 in non-ULID areas.]
The proposed increases were determined by a Sewer Rate Study recently completed by FCS Group, a firm contracted with the City.
HPI Phase 2 of the WWTP improvement project is estimated to cost approximately $24 million and would be financed through a 30-year, low interest bond. Construction is estimated to take 18-24 months.
Construction of WWTP Phase 1 – which began in 2019 – is 90% complete. Phase 2 improvements are anticipated to be complete in 2023.
The WWTP project will update the antiquated facility, add redundancy, and improve safety features for employees. Phase 2 will add treatment and hydraulic capacities; replace and upgrade aging facilities; make process upgrades to meet stricter Department of Ecology discharge requirements; decrease odors; reduce sludge hauling costs; and complete employee and environmental safety updates to meet the standards of state and federal agencies.
For those wishing to provide comments on the proposed rate increase, detailed meeting access information will be provided on February 11, 2021 on the City website calendar item for the February 16, 2021 City Council meeting.
Comments
The water rates in North Bend are already astronomical! The water bill for my 2-BR, 1-1/2 bath condo (2 adults and one teenager) is regularly over $200/month. That is more than enough to pay – I can’t afford an increase!