EVERETT — Lake Stevens sewer customers will see a 21% increase to sewer rates starting in the new year.
On Nov. 25, the Lake Stevens Sewer District Board of Commissioners approved a monthly increase of $21 per unit, from $99 to $120 per month.
Inflation in the Lake Stevens area has grown by about 12% since 2022, the district said in a statement posted to its website. The district says the increase is necessary to preserve the current quality of service.
“This increase is critical to maintain the reliability of Lake Stevens’ existing sewer system by covering not only increased district costs and expenses, but also capital costs needed to repair and upgrade aging lift stations and sewer pipes which have reached the end of their useful life,” the statement read.
The district expects to use the additional revenue to fund a variety of upgrades, including $15 million for the Sunnyside Wastewater Treatment Plant, $7.5 million for sewer pipe replacements and repairs, and $29.5 million to rehabilitate lift stations. Some sewer pipes and lift stations are more than 50 years old, according to the statement.
In December 2024, the city of Lake Stevens approved a 3% utility tax on all sewer bills for 2025, which will increase to 6% in 2026.
The city and sewer district are currently involved in a yearslong legal dispute over when the city can assume the district. In June, a judge ruled that the city must wait until 2033 to assume the district. In July, the city appealed the ruling.
Jenna Peterson: 425-339-3486; jenna.peterson@heraldnet.com; X: @jennarpetersonn.
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.
