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Water Environment Services board approves ~5% rate increase and 2.72% SDC adjustment
Summary
The board acting as Water Environment Services approved a roughly 5% increase to monthly wastewater and surface-water charges (household impact $0–$2.25 per month) and a 2.72% inflationary increase to system development charges (SDCs); commissioners discussed developer relief and a 10‑year phase‑in of fees.
The Clackamas County Board, sitting as the Water Environment Services (WES) board, on June 17 approved several rate and fee changes for fiscal year 2026–27, including a roughly 5% increase in monthly charges for wastewater treatment, collection and surface‑water management and a 2.72% inflationary adjustment to sanitary sewer and stormwater system development charges (SDCs).
Greg Geist, WES director, told the board the proposed rates align with WES’s long‑term financial plan and noted the dollar impact on household monthly bills would range from $0 to about $2.25 depending on services and location. Geist described the increases as necessary to match plan assumptions and cover costs.
Geist also explained that the board previously approved a methodology to phase in calculated SDC fees and that staff are returning with a 2.72% inflationary adjustment based on the Engineering News‑Record construction cost index; staff estimated the SDC change would generate approximately $223,000 in additional revenue next fiscal year.
Commissioner Mann asked whether there were relief options for developers and noted SDCs are a major complaint for builders; Geist said predictability and earlier tiering by size and square footage are part of the county’s approach and recalled that an advisory committee recommended a five‑year phase‑in but the board extended that to 10 years to limit short‑term impacts on development.
The board also formally adopted an updated WES district fee table and approved a consent item to submit a grant application to the Oregon Department of Emergency Management for Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities funding for the Willamette pump station and force main capacity project (maximum grant value $18,045,000 with FEMA and matching WES funds).
All WES motions recorded in the meeting passed unanimously.
Representative quotes:
- Greg Geist: "The proposed rates are aligned with WES' long term financial plan and represent about 5% adjustment to the monthly charges".
- Commissioner Mann: "One of their biggest complaints is SDCs... Is there any relief?" (questioning staff on developer relief options).
Next steps: The rate, fee table and SDC adjustments were adopted by resolution and will be implemented as indicated in the staff report; staff will return with any additional methodology updates (for example, future staff work to formalize the 10‑year phase‑in).
