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Board approves 4% sewer rate while warning of large King County pass-throughs and lake‑line unknowns
Summary
The Mercer Island Utility Board voted to adopt a 4% local sewer rate increase for 2026 but highlighted materially larger pass‑through charges from King County Metro and flagged technical and permitting uncertainties on the island's lake sewer line and 17 pump stations that could drive future costs.
The Mercer Island Utility Board on Oct. 28 approved a 4% local sewer rate increase for fiscal year 2026, while repeatedly warning that King County Metro’s external wastewater charges — which are passed through to city customers — will add substantially more to customer bills in coming years.
Consultant Angie Sanchez Vernaz and staff said King County’s most recent forecasts show Metro pass‑through increases of about 7–7.5% for 2026 and projected double‑digit percentage increases in later years. Those external charges, staff warned, account for the majority of the total…
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