WRA outlines $110M-plus annual projects, warns Urbandale of higher sewer assessments and trunk-line construction

The Des Moines Metropolitan Wastewater Reclamation Authority (WRA) told the Urbandale City Council that a new facility plan, rising debt service and several large construction projects will increase assessments for member communities and put upward pressure on local sewer rates.

The WRA director, Scott Hutchins, told the council the authority will collect about $66,000,000 from member communities in fiscal 2026 and that the capital improvement plan for the year is “just shy of $110,000,000.” He said the authority’s debt service for FY26 is about $33,800,000 and that the WRA finance committee is recommending raising the WRA agreement’s current debt limit from $675,000,000 to $975,000,000 to fund planned work.

Why it matters: The WRA is the regional wastewater utility that serves Des Moines and 17 member communities; the authority’s debt and capital program are allocated to members on a three‑year flow average. That allocation, combined with the WRA’s planned borrowing and projects, is already reflected in draft budgets and rate proposals for the Urbandale Sanitary Sewer District and the Urbandale–Windsor Heights district.

Most important facts

- WRA governance and scale: Hutchins described the WRA as a regional utility with 18 member communities governed by a 21‑member board; the authority owns roughly 64 miles of regional sewers, seven pump stations and nine equalization facilities.

- FY26 totals cited by WRA staff: community collections of about $66 million; net operating budget roughly $13.2 million (offset by revenues and prior‑year credits); debt service about $33.8 million; capital improvement plan near $110 million for the year. The WRA director said the CIP’s six‑year total is roughly $413 million.

- Debt pressure and agreement changes: Hutchins said the WRA is updating both the operating contract with the City of Des…