Aberdeen officials outline options to address lapsed sewer contract with Cosmopolis, propose five‑year repayment

Ruth Clemens, city administrator for Aberdeen, told the Cosmopolis workshop that the 2015–2023 sewer contract between the two cities has expired and that Aberdeen is operating without a formal agreement. "The contract expired in 2023, so currently we are operating on no contract at this point," Clemens said, and she urged negotiating a new, clearer billing structure rather than continuing the old formula.

Why it matters: Aberdeen staff said the old contract produced "artificially low" charges for Cosmopolis customers — about $35 per month on average — compared with roughly $72 per month for Aberdeen customers. Clemens said the disparity means Aberdeen residents have been subsidizing treatment costs for Cosmopolis and proposed options to address the shortfall and avoid future cross‑subsidy.

What Aberdeen proposed: Clemens and Aberdeen Public Works Director Rick Sanger recommended switching to monthly billing and offering a commercial‑customer billing option for the city as a whole; they also recommended spreading the unpaid balance over five years with interest. "We would like to recommend to all of you ... to pay the unpaid bill over the course of five years plus interest," Clemens said. When asked about a ballpark interest rate, she said the proposal would be subject to council approval and counsel review but estimated interest could be in the neighborhood of 12% as an example.

Numbers and accounting: Aberdeen consultant Tara Dunford explained the arithmetic behind the $35 figure. "When you take that $325,000 and divide it by your 783 connections, we end up at a rate per month of $35," Dunford said, describing Aberdeen’s billed amount for 2023 usage. She added that treating Cosmopolis as a single commercial customer under Aberdeen’s proposed commercial rate would raise Cosmopolis’ cost substantially from current levels.

Operational constraints and causes: Sanger described a major infiltration and inflow (I&I) problem in Cosmopolis’s collection system that can multiply flows during heavy rain. "When it rains hard, we get 10 times more than when it’s dry," he said, explaining that groundwater and stormwater are entering sanitary lines and being treated as sewage. Aberdeen has invested in TV inspection vans, smoke testing and flow meters to locate leaks and cross‑connections and said it has budgeted about $1,000,000 to find and address I&I issues.

Practical implications for residents: Council members asked whether a move to 1:1 billing (matching Aberdeen’s per‑resident rate) would mean Cosmopolis residents pay both Aberdeen’s treatment charge and separate local fees; staff acknowledged residents currently pay both their local conveyance costs and amounts billed to Aberdeen and that switching billing methods will change household bills. Dunford noted Cosmopolis also has its own administrative and public‑works costs that would remain separate from amounts paid to Aberdeen.

Next steps and legal caution: Aberdeen staff said any retroactive billing decisions or interest treatments should be reviewed by legal counsel to avoid the appearance of gifting public funds. Clemens said the cities are effectively negotiating a new contract and asked Cosmopolis to consider options including asking Aberdeen to assess the feasibility of purchasing Cosmopolis’s system; she asked the Cosmopolis council to bring recommendations back to Aberdeen and signaled staff would follow up.

Context: Aberdeen plans substantial capital improvements at its treatment plant (staff cited a $40 million program), which factors into cost allocations. Cosmopolis lacks meters on several lines and will need flow studies and inspections to separate residential use from I&I before a final billing method is set.

What’s next: No formal vote was taken; council members requested follow‑up information, including meter/flow data and legal guidance, and indicated Aberdeen staff may be invited back to continue negotiations.