Washoe County says sewer fund remains strong while planning capacity projects and recycled‑water expansion

Dwayne Smith, division director for Engineering and Capital Projects, briefed the county commission on fiscal health, rates, capacity and upcoming capital work for the Washoe County Sewer Utility.

Smith said the utility operates as an enterprise fund and that the 2023 connection-fee and user-rate study adopted a combined-service approach (scenario 2) that avoided raising base user rates. The county did raise connection fees to build capacity for new development and eliminated recycled‑water commodity fees to encourage existing customers to remain and to attract new recycled‑water users.

Smith said the utility’s total fund balance was “nearly $125,000,000” and that the five‑year outlook follows the rate‑study projection despite a large capital spend in 2026 tied to South Truckee Meadows reclamation facility improvements, a major lift station project and other conveyance work. He emphasized that the utility maintains available treatment and conveyance capacity and that the master-planning process governs when capacity is constructed to avoid overbuilding and burdening current ratepayers.

The presentation highlighted regional collaboration with municipal partners and the Western Regional Water Commission, and noted opportunities to expand recycled‑water uses (irrigation and construction water) and conversations with industrial users such as Ormat about potential reuse. Commissioners asked about purple-pipe connections and how businesses or developers can initiate discussions; Smith said parties generally contact utility staff or the Western Regional Water Commission to explore options.

The board commended the collaborative regional planning approach and the decision to avoid base user‑rate increases while maintaining the fiscal path to fund future capacity investments.