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Council hears options for sewer study and funding, including Ecology revolving fund
Summary
Staff told the council a sewer feasibility study is the first step and cited the Department of Ecology State Revolving Fund / Centennial Clean Water Fund as the primary grant/loan avenue (applications roughly due Nov. 1); options include large on-site systems, ULIDs and rate studies to spread costs.
Dominic told the council that before the city can pursue a full sewer system it should complete a feasibility study to understand collection, treatment and cost allocations. He described common financing paths: state revolving loans and grants, hardship rates, and phased design/construct schedules that delay loan repayments until after construction.
"It's called the Department of Ecology State Revolving Fund slash Centennial Clean Water Fund," Dominic said, noting those programs make loans and grants available for sewer projects and often require an application cycle. He explained a typical timeline: design, construction and commissioning can stretch over several years and a loan repayment schedule may begin only after commissioning. Dominic described local options to distribute cost, including formation of a sewer utility, rate studies to set connection and user fees, and Utility Local Improvement Districts (ULIDs) or similar mechanisms.
Members discussed whether to begin collecting a small local fee to seed a sewer fund and said a council decision about growth policy will guide whether and how the city pursues grants. Dominic also warned that ecology and health regulations (and potential PFAS treatment needs) can add complexity and cost to any treatment solution.
