Pasco reviews irrigation rates and proposed connection fee; staff seek council direction after outreach

City staff presented options for irrigation utility connection charges and rate adjustments at the Feb. 24 workshop and summarized public outreach completed in December–February. The irrigation utility has the city’s lowest current rates compared with neighboring providers; the staff presentation included a modeled “maximum” connection fee, outreach summary and three policy options for council direction.

The rate model calculated a maximum connection charge of $1,468 per equivalent residential unit (ERU). Staff presented two primary revenue approaches: (1) adopt the maximum connection fee and implement a modeled rate increase that would average about $5 per month across customers in the first three years (staff’s example: 17% increases in each of the first three years followed by 3% thereafter), or (2) forgo a connection fee and impose larger rate increases (about 19.5% in each of the first three years with 3% thereafter). Staff also offered a middle option: a reduced connection fee below the maximum paired with intermediate rate increases.

Outreach produced 38 written comments via the city form; staff said two respondents supported increases and 25 opposed rate increases. Staff held a development‑community meeting (Dec. 11) and a general community meeting (Jan. 13), produced a web page, social posts and traditional media outreach. Councilors raised concerns about whether Spanish‑language or other outreach channels reached affected households; staff said they had issued a press release and media contacts but that specific Spanish‑language outreach would be followed up.

Council members emphasized the equity question for low‑income and fixed‑income households and asked staff to examine a reduced‑rate program similar to the city’s water/sewer senior discount (staff said the irrigation utility does not currently have a senior or low‑income discount but it could be evaluated and returned as a package if council directs). Director Sarah (presenting) and Deputy City Manager noted that the modeled first‑year rate impact translates to roughly $5–$6 per month on average, depending on the option chosen.

Staff asked council for direction on which option to pursue — no increase/no connection fee with deferred CIP, adopt maximum connection fee plus smaller rate increases, or a modified hybrid. Public commenters at the workshop urged staff to consider affordability impacts on homebuyers, renters and small businesses; commenters noted household incomes in Pasco are lower than neighboring cities and asked for broader multilingual outreach and consideration of fixed‑income households. Staff said they will incorporate council feedback and return with an ordinance and refined recommendations.