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Council reviews proposed 9% water-rate increase, meter-size infrastructure fee and new water tower need
Summary
City staff proposed a roughly 9% water-rate change, a meter-size "infrastructure" fee tier and long-term projects including a new Water Tower 3 and Business 24 water-main replacements; staff said water/sewer must be funded by system users and cannot be subsidized from sales tax or general fund revenues.
City staff on April 14 asked the Washington City Council to consider a revised water-rate structure that would include a roughly 9% increase and a new meter-size-based infrastructure fee.
The proposal, presented by Dennis and finance staff Joni with technical input from Scott of CMT, would move from a single fixed fee to a meter-size infrastructure fee that treats tax-exempt entities (schools, churches) differently if they provide tax-exempt documentation. Staff said the 9% request reflects an adjustment beyond the 5.2% CPI baseline the ordinance currently cites and is intended to better cover ongoing operations, a planned large water-main reconstruction and increased debt service.
Why it matters: staff highlighted…
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