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Water Rates Questions & Answers
Are retail water rates going up?
On Monday, May 1, 2006, the Seattle City Council voted to increase residential and commercial water rates for 2006-2008.
Are wholesale water customer rates going up?
Rates for wholesale customers will change in accordance with wholesale contracts, which define cost of service methodologies that determine how much the water system can charge for wholesale service.
The rates shown and discussed here are inside city. Different rates apply outside the city and for the City of Shoreline.
What is happening to residential water rates?
The base water service charge for residential customers is increasing 55-cents per month starting June 1, 2006. The base service charge increases another 58-cents per month in 2007. In 2008, the base service charge increases another $1.35 per month and the off-peak water rate will increase 7-cents per CCF. Peak water rates will remain unchanged.
What is happening to commercial water rates?
The base water service charge for commercial customers with ¾" -10” meters are increasing incrementally from 2006-2008. The charge for commercial customers with 12" -24” meters dropped from the 2005 rate, but will remain the same from 2006-2008. For each commercial customer, the off-peak rates will increase 33-cents per CCF starting June 1, 2006. Off-peak rates will decrease 4-cents in 2007 and then increase 32-cents in 2008. Peak water rates will remain unchanged.
What is the Base Service Charge?
This is a fixed monthly fee, determined by the size of the water meter installed at your property. Most single family residences are served by ¾" meters, which are the smallest and least expensive available. This fee helps more equitably distribute service costs that are not related to the volume of water used, such as bill production, customer service, water service inspections, and meter reading, maintenance and replacement
Why is my bill increasing?
A portion of the increase will fund a settlement the city and the Muckleshoot Tribe reached in March that secured water rights to the Cedar River in exchange for land and hunting rights. Another portion of the rate increase will be used to cover open reservoirs within the city limits. Inflation, increased taxes, and higher operational costs are also driving part of the rate increase.
What do our water rates and charges pay for?
Why are rates for retail customers outside Seattle’s city limits higher than rates inside the city limits?
A small portion of the Department's direct service area lies outside the city limits and higher rates are charged there to reflect higher costs of serving this area. Reasons for these higher costs include:
Development outside the city is less dense and a greater percentage of the water delivered outside the city is pumped. Both factors cause higher capital and operating costs (longer water mains, more pumping) per unit of water delivered.
Field crews, meter readers, inspectors, and other employees, as well as vehicles and equipment, must travel farther to work on parts of the system that serve outside city customers.
FOR SHORELINE CUSTOMERS ONLY: Why is there a different set of rates for Shoreline customers?
In 1999, Shoreline began charging Seattle Public Utilities a franchise fee on water service SPU provides to Shoreline residents. This fee increases SPU’s costs of serving Shoreline customers, and SPU is passing this cost on directly to them as a separate item on their bills. All of the revenues from this fee are paid to the City of Shoreline. Neither Seattle nor any water customer outside of Shoreline receives a benefit from this fee.
Why are water rates higher in the summer than in the winter? Is this a penalty for summer water use?
While Seattle has plenty of water in the wintertime, our water system is limited by its ability to supply water during the summer when demand is at its highest and rainfall is at its lowest. At that time, we depend on storage in our mountain reservoirs to meet demand while leaving enough water in the rivers for fish. The higher summer rate provides an important price signal to customers that water is worth more in the summer.
Is there assistance for low-income customers?
Qualified low-income/elderly/disabled customers receive a 50 percent discount on their water bill. Please see the Payment Assistance site for more information.
What number do I call if I still have questions?
You may call (206) 684-3000.
You may also call David Reich at (206) 386-4027 with your questions or comments, or email David at david.reich@seattle.gov.
Related links
Water Rates
Payment Assistance
Shoreline Water Rate Increase Questions & Answers
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