Policies & Director's Rules

Changes to Utility Billing Rules

Due to the lifting of the City of Seattle’s COVID-19 emergency declaration that placed a moratorium on utility shutoffs, SPU is resuming utility collection activities and making temporary changes to certain rules on billing, payment, and collections.
View the General Manager/CEO’s directive.

Seattle Public Utilities' enterprises in water, wastewater, drainage, and solid waste are governed by ordinances codified under Title 21 and Title 22 of the Seattle Municipal Code. The General Manager/CEO further adopts policies and rules, also called "Director's Rules," that affect how we conduct business and provide services to customers and the public.

Utility accounts

  • FIN-160: Customer Account and Billing Management - Jan. 11, 2022 View directive on changes
  • CS-310: Customer Billing, Payments, and Collections – May 1, 2013
  • CS-310.1: Customer Billing, Payments, and Collections - Jan. 3, 2017 View directive on changes
  • CS-310.5: Sewer Maximum Recalculation - Aug. 15, 2012
  • CS-320: Billing Adjustments for Retail and Wholesale Customers – Jan. 11, 2022
  • CS-325: Leak Adjustment for Retail Customers - May 25, 2020
  • CS-330: Refund for Retail and Wholesale Customers (Procedure) – October 15, 2020
  • CS-340: Waivers for Retail Customers (Procedure) – February 1, 2020
  • CS-360: Pay Plans and Payment Arrangements for Retail Customers - March 20, 2020 View directive on changes
  • CS-390: Dispute Escalation for Retail Customers - April 7, 2021
  • CS-700: Utility Discounts- June 1, 2017

Drainage and wastewater

  • DWW-160: Restrictions on Use of Easements in Lieu of Drainage and Wastewater Main Extensions - October 30, 2020
  • DR-2011-004: Requirements for Design and Construction of Side Sewers (Drainage and Wastewater Discharges) - Apr. 8, 2011
  • DR-2011-005: Side Sewer Code Enforcement - Apr. 8, 2011
  • DWW-200: Stormwater Manual, vol. 1-5 - July 1, 2021
  • DWW-200: Stormwater Manual, app. A-I - July 1, 2021
  • DWW-210: Public Drainage System Requirements - July 1, 2021
  • DWW-202.7: Project Thresholds and Right-of-Way Related Utility Work - Aug. 26, 2015
  • DWW-205: Ditch Replacement - July 27, 2016
  • DWW-240: Surfacing Groundwater Management within the City Right of Way – July 1, 2016
  • DWW-260: Stormwater Facility Credit Program – Nov. 29, 2021
  • DWW-260.2: Stormwater Facility Credit Calculator - Nov. 29, 2021
  • DWW-285: University of Washington Stormwater Code Adjustment for Minimum Requirement #5 (On-Site Management) in San Juan Drainage Basin - June 30, 2021
  • DWW-340.1: Condition Assessment Requests for the First Connection – June 1, 2016
  • DWW-350: Approved Location of Side Sewers Serving Private Property - Mar. 10, 2014
  • DWW-351: Sewer-Backup Prevention—Backwater Valves - June 15, 2018
  • DWW-352 - Inflow and Infiltration Mitigation Thresholds for CIPs in Separated Sewer Areas - July 23, 2018
  • DWW-370: Conditional Discharge of Contaminated Industrial Stormwater to the Sanitary Sewer - April 15, 2022
  • DWW-380: Groundwater Discharges to the Municipal Sewerage System — Billing - Oct. 8, 2014
  • DWW-420.1: Yesler Terrace Allowable Stormwater, Groundwater, and Sewer Release Rates to the Combined Sewer System and Infiltration Zones - Feb. 4, 2015
  • DWW-430.1: Flow Control Requirements for Projects in Identified Public Combined Sewer Basins - Jan. 1, 2017 

Solid waste

  • DR-01-03: Cathode Ray Tubes - Mar. 17, 2003
  • DR-01-07: What Constitutes Beneficial Use for Construction and Demolition Waste Hauling - Nov. 1, 2007
  • SW-402.1: Prohibition of Recyclables in Garbage - July 1, 2017
  • SW-403 - Curbside Recycling Rates-Special Items - Feb. 15, 2021
  • SW-405.2: Waste Diversion Report Submittal Process - June 1, 2017 
  • SW-406.1: Temporary Container and Bag Placement and Removal at Curbs and Public Alleys - May 1, 2014
  • SW-500: Temporary Exceptions to Food Service Ware and Packaging Products - July 1, 2022
  • SW-620: Requirements for Qualified Construction and Demolition Receiving and Recycling Facilities - Feb. 1, 2022
  • SW-640: Construction and Demolition Disposal Ban Delay - July 15, 2022  

Water

  • CS-105: Cross-Connection Control Program – May 18, 2006
  • WTR-110: Asset Management - Water - Dec. 13, 2006
  • WTR-120: Environmental Stewardship - Dec. 13, 2006
  • WTR-130: Security and Emergency Preparedness - Dec. 13, 2006
  • WTR-140: Meeting Customer Expectations - Dec. 13, 2006
  • WTR-220: Water Service Area - Dec. 13, 2006
  • WTR-230: Regional Role and Partnerships for Water - Dec. 13, 2006
  • WTR-240: Planning for Uncertainty in Water Supply and Demand - Dec. 13, 2006
  • WTR-250: Water Supply Reliability - Dec. 13, 2006
  • WTR-260: Water Resource Selection - Dec. 13, 2006
  • WTR-310: Transmission System Redundancy - Dec. 13, 2006
  • WTR-320: Access to Seattle Regional Water System - Dec. 13, 2006
  • WTR-410: Distribution System Redundancy - Dec. 13, 2006
  • WTR-435: New Water Services - November 16, 2015
  • WTR-436.1: Connection Charge - May 1, 2019
  • WTR-440: Requirements for Water Service - Jan. 1, 2021
  • WTR-450: Changes to Existing Water Services - June 23, 2021
  • WTR-460: Use of Hydrants by Others - Sept. 1, 2021
  • WTR-500: High Quality Drinking Water Provision - Dec. 13, 2006
  • WTR-610: Watershed Protection - Dec. 13, 2006
  • WCM-001: Wholesale Water Customer Metering & Billing Dispute - Jan. 1, 2006

Engineering & construction

  • ENG-430: Utility System Improvement Dispute Process - Jan. 25, 2021
  • ENG-450: Latecomer Agreements for Construction of Utility Improvements - March 15, 2022

Special charges, fees, and exemptions

  • FIN-211.1: Qualifying Streets for Drainage Fee Exemption - Jan. 1, 2017
  • FIN-211.2: Qualifying Riparian Corridors for Drainage Service Charge Exemption - Jan. 1, 2017
  • FIN-211.3: Qualifying Wetlands for Drainage Service Charge Exemption - Jan. 1, 2017
  • FIN-220.1: Customer Charges – Oct. 1, 2018 View directive on changes
  • FIN-220.2: Development Charges – July 1, 2021
  • FIN-220.3: Water Quality Analysis Laboratory Charges - Jan. 1, 2021
  • FIN-220.4: Real Property Charges – Jan. 1, 2019
  • FIN-220.5: Cedar River Watershed Education Center Charges - August 1, 2021

Other rules and policies

  • FFM-510, FFM-510.1: Incidental Use of Real Property - Dec. 5, 2012
  • FFM-520.1: Open Space - Dec. 28, 2006
  • MDAR-17-01: Operating Hours for City Properties; Unauthorized Camping on City Properties; Enforcement Procedures; and Removal of Unauthorized Property (multidepartment) - Apr. 3, 2017
  • CAM: Client Assistance Memos (CAMs)

Related

Other city director's rules can be viewed at:
Seattle City Light
Department of Construction and Inspections
Department of Transportation
Department of Finance and Administrative Services