CITY OF SEATTLE
ORDINANCE __________________
COUNCIL BILL __________________
title
AN ORDINANCE relating to wastewater services of Seattle Public Utilities; adjusting wastewater rates to pass through changes to treatment rates charged by King County; amending Sections 21.28.040 of the Seattle Municipal Code to reflect the adjusted rates; and amending Section 21.76.040 of the Seattle Municipal Code to adjust credits to low-income wastewater customers.
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WHEREAS, Resolution 31760, adopted on November 13, 2017, adopted the 2018-2023 Strategic Business Plan Update for Seattle Public Utilities, which guides utility investments, service levels, and rate paths through 2023; and
WHEREAS, Seattle Public Utilities' wastewater rates are based on the sum of the treatment rate and system rate and are designed to pass through the drainage share of the rates King County charges for its wastewater treatment services as part of the treatment rate applicable to drainage services; and
WHEREAS, Ordinance 125685 established wastewater rates for 2019 through 2021 based on the then current King County wastewater treatment charge of $45.33; and
WHEREAS, King County Council adopted a new wastewater treatment rate of $47.37 per residential customer equivalent per month effective January 1, 2021, which is an increase of 4.5 percent over the existing treatment rate; and
WHEREAS, subsection 21.33.030.D.1 of the Seattle Municipal Code allows wastewater treatment rates to be adjusted by ordinance at any time in response to changes in the King County wastewater rates; and
WHEREAS, adopted wastewater treatment rates will not provide sufficient revenues to pay the increased treatment costs; and
WHEREAS, wastewater credits for qualified low-income customers, not billed directly by Seattle Public Utilities, are based on typical residential bills, and credits for such customers need to be revised to reflect the changes in the wastewater rates; NOW, THEREFORE,
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY OF SEA...
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