Published: Thursday, October 28, 2010
Storm-water rates could double in Arlington
Arlington is seeking an increase in storm-water rates to fund improvements.
ARLINGTON — State and federal clean-water mandates could double Arlington’s storm-water utility rates in 2011.
Each household now pays $3.45 a month, or $41.40 a year, for storm-water service. It’s part of the city utility bill for water, sewer and storm drainage.
If the increase is approved, storm-water rates would rise to $6.41 a month, followed by yearly increases through 2016 based on the local consumer price index. City staff estimates that by 2016, Arlington households will pay about $7 a month for storm-water service, said city spokeswoman Kristin Banfield.
In an alternative proposal, the rate increase might be implemented more gradually. Under this plan, people would pay $4.75 a month next year, with $1 yearly increases through 2013 and then additional increases based on the consumer price index through 2016.
The Arlington City Council has scheduled a public hearing regarding the proposed rate increase — and a presentation about why the storm water drainage improvements are necessary — during the council’s Monday night meeting.
The city’s storm water system includes 3,253 catch basins and manholes, about 48 miles of pipe, 18 miles of ditches and swales, three miles of culverts, 86 known outfalls and more than 140 detention basins.
When city staff examined what would have to be done to improve 70 spots in the storm-water drainage system, the cost estimate was more than $17 million.
“That’s an unrealistic figure for the city,” Banfield said. “We can’t do all that. Instead, we’re going to show the state and the federal government over the next six years that the city is making progress to clean up the storm water that goes into the Stillaguamish River.”
That progress — estimated at close to $2 million — is still going to cost the city money it doesn’t have. While the city has applied for grant funding, the rate increase was deemed necessary, Banfield said.
The city is faced with increased pollution control and flood management mandates and costs without any help from the state or federal governments, she said.
Arlington has the lowest storm-water utility rate of any city in central and north Snohomish County. The monthly storm-water rates in neighboring jurisdictions include $10.17 for Snohomish County customers who live in Arlington’s urban growth area. People in Stanwood pay $12.25, those in Marysville pay $10, Monroe residents pay $10.50 and those in Snohomish have monthly storm-water bills of $9.52.
State mandated clean-water requirements include increased monitoring and reporting on public and private storm-water facilities, system cleaning and a public education program. Future development in the city will require rain gardens and other low-impact design elements to clean up the storm water, Banfield said.
“We want to cooperate because we care about the quality of the Stillaguamish River and Puget Sound,” she said.
The city also is working to complete a $700,000 storm-water wetlands project with the help of a $500,000 grant from the state Department of Ecology.
Located along the river on the south side of Highway 9, the city’s 27-acre wetlands have more than 1,400 feet of river frontage, making it a good place to clean water and simultaneously provide for extra recreation along the Stilly, public works director Jim Kelly said.
The Stillaguamish is one of the largest rivers flowing into the inland waters of the Salish Sea and Arlington discharges the greatest amount of storm water into the river, Kelly said.
When the project is complete, storm water will empty into a stream on the wetlands. As this meandering stream flows through the wetlands, pollutants in the water settle along the stream bed and are filtered out by native plants growing there. The wetlands should be able to handle the water produced in the worst of storms and floods, Kelly said.
Gale Fiege: 425-339-3427; gfiege@heraldnet.com.
Public hearing
A public hearing regarding the proposed increase in storm-water rates is set for 7 p.m. Monday in council chambers, 110 E. Third St., Arlington.
The hearing is expected to be continued on Nov. 15 to allow for more public comment.
How to keep storm water clean
Scoop up and dispose of your pet’s manure; take your vehicle to a local business to be washed or get the oil changed; plant native trees and shrubs on your property to help filter run-off pollutants.
Each household now pays $3.45 a month, or $41.40 a year, for storm-water service. It’s part of the city utility bill for water, sewer and storm drainage.
If the increase is approved, storm-water rates would rise to $6.41 a month, followed by yearly increases through 2016 based on the local consumer price index. City staff estimates that by 2016, Arlington households will pay about $7 a month for storm-water service, said city spokeswoman Kristin Banfield.
In an alternative proposal, the rate increase might be implemented more gradually. Under this plan, people would pay $4.75 a month next year, with $1 yearly increases through 2013 and then additional increases based on the consumer price index through 2016.
The Arlington City Council has scheduled a public hearing regarding the proposed rate increase — and a presentation about why the storm water drainage improvements are necessary — during the council’s Monday night meeting.
The city’s storm water system includes 3,253 catch basins and manholes, about 48 miles of pipe, 18 miles of ditches and swales, three miles of culverts, 86 known outfalls and more than 140 detention basins.
When city staff examined what would have to be done to improve 70 spots in the storm-water drainage system, the cost estimate was more than $17 million.
“That’s an unrealistic figure for the city,” Banfield said. “We can’t do all that. Instead, we’re going to show the state and the federal government over the next six years that the city is making progress to clean up the storm water that goes into the Stillaguamish River.”
That progress — estimated at close to $2 million — is still going to cost the city money it doesn’t have. While the city has applied for grant funding, the rate increase was deemed necessary, Banfield said.
The city is faced with increased pollution control and flood management mandates and costs without any help from the state or federal governments, she said.
Arlington has the lowest storm-water utility rate of any city in central and north Snohomish County. The monthly storm-water rates in neighboring jurisdictions include $10.17 for Snohomish County customers who live in Arlington’s urban growth area. People in Stanwood pay $12.25, those in Marysville pay $10, Monroe residents pay $10.50 and those in Snohomish have monthly storm-water bills of $9.52.
State mandated clean-water requirements include increased monitoring and reporting on public and private storm-water facilities, system cleaning and a public education program. Future development in the city will require rain gardens and other low-impact design elements to clean up the storm water, Banfield said.
“We want to cooperate because we care about the quality of the Stillaguamish River and Puget Sound,” she said.
The city also is working to complete a $700,000 storm-water wetlands project with the help of a $500,000 grant from the state Department of Ecology.
Located along the river on the south side of Highway 9, the city’s 27-acre wetlands have more than 1,400 feet of river frontage, making it a good place to clean water and simultaneously provide for extra recreation along the Stilly, public works director Jim Kelly said.
The Stillaguamish is one of the largest rivers flowing into the inland waters of the Salish Sea and Arlington discharges the greatest amount of storm water into the river, Kelly said.
When the project is complete, storm water will empty into a stream on the wetlands. As this meandering stream flows through the wetlands, pollutants in the water settle along the stream bed and are filtered out by native plants growing there. The wetlands should be able to handle the water produced in the worst of storms and floods, Kelly said.
Gale Fiege: 425-339-3427; gfiege@heraldnet.com.
Public hearing
A public hearing regarding the proposed increase in storm-water rates is set for 7 p.m. Monday in council chambers, 110 E. Third St., Arlington.
The hearing is expected to be continued on Nov. 15 to allow for more public comment.
How to keep storm water clean
Scoop up and dispose of your pet’s manure; take your vehicle to a local business to be washed or get the oil changed; plant native trees and shrubs on your property to help filter run-off pollutants.
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