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Staff flags 9% wastewater rate recommendation; council to consider during budget process
Summary
A consultant recommended an initial 9% wastewater rate increase; staff asked council to continue the discussion through the FY27 budget process and noted the utility may be underrecovered by 2027–28 without adjustment.
City staff summarized a prior consultant presentation recommending a 9% wastewater rate increase and asked council whether to move that recommendation through the budget process for potential implementation in FY27 (October 2026). The consultant’s May recommendation was described as an initial step to address projected shortfalls.
Staff said the wastewater department is projected to be underrecovered in 2027–28 and that the city’s relatively small customer base (about 1,700 meters) makes spreading fixed costs difficult. Staff recommended continuing the conversation as part of the budget calendar and deciding on timing and the extent of any rate change during the fall budget workshops.
Council members asked for supporting documents including the CIP, the consultant’s detailed assumptions, and any capital projects not yet included in the rate study. Staff agreed to provide scope documents and financial projections to support any future rate decision.
