Under the rates shown at Monday night's City Council meeting, the 'average' Anacortes residential user, who now pays $11.46 per month for 700 cubic feet of water, would pay $16.73 in 2013, an increase of about $5 per month. That's a 45 percent hike. The actual cost of water, called the volume charge, won't increase from the current $1.03 per cubic foot, but the base charge will increase.
The rates would be staged a bit higher every year for the next 3 years. Here's what the proposed retail rates could look like, if the City Council approves.
| Existing | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | |
| Base Charge | $4.25 | $7.74 | $8.63 | $9.52 |
| Volume Charge | $1.03 | $1.03 | $1.03 | $1.03 |
| Monthly Rate/Avg User | $11.46 | $14.95 | $15.84 | $16.73 |
Anacortes water would still be lower than other water service here. Skagit PUD charges $35.24 for that same 'average' user who draws 700 cubic feet of water per month. Stanwood charges $21.47; Port Townsend $24.62; Port Angeles $41.31; Bellingham $30.46. These are residential rates; commercial users would also pay higher rates.
City Public Works Director Fred Buckenmeyer said the current cost estimate for the water treatment plant update is $67-million, but it could come in below that estimate because of current economic conditions. He told the council that bids could be filed in the rant of $48-million to $67-million, with $60-million a likely amount.
Buckenmeyer said the expansion design and engineering are 100 percent complete. The city has been working on this project for several years. Buckenmeyer said construction should begin in February, with substantial completion in 2013.
None of the cost of construction will be borne by taxpayers, but water users will pay for the new plant.
Resources
- We've posted the PowerPoint presentation used at Monday night's Council meeting here (1.2MB pdf).