Utility rates rising

SNOHOMISH — Utility rates are going up next year.

The City Council earlier this week approved increases in water, sewage and stormwater rates beginning in January.

“This is the hardest decision we as council have made,” Councilwoman Lynn Schilaty said Tuesday.

Ratepayers will pay $20 more in their bimonthly utility rates. The increase will continue for the next six years. By 2016, city officials figure the average ratepayer would be paying about $2,200 annually.

The council voted 4-3 for the increase, with councilmen Greg Guedel, Derrick Burke and Dean Randall voting against.

Guedel said the city was using the wrong approach to bringing in more revenue. Higher utility costs would make the city less appealing for businesses.

“Increasing business activity would make it less necessary to raise the utility rate,” he said.

The increase is to pay for changes necessary to meet state water standards, pass on an increase in the price of water, and clean up the stormwater the city sends to the Snohomish River.

The water rate will be about $68, up from $65. The stormwater rate will be about $21, up from $19.

The city is trying to get into compliance with standards set by the state’s Department of Ecology. It has until 2016 to build a pipeline to send sewer water to the treatment plant in Everett, a project costing more than $44 million.

The sewage rate is the biggest utility increase, and the one which the council disagreed on.

Sewage rates now will go up by 11.10 percent every year. The 3,500 ratepayers will start paying $151 next month, up from $136.

Alejandro Dominguez: 425-339-3422; adominguez@heraldnet.com.