What Influences the Water and Wastewater Rates?
The City of Redmond provides water and wastewater services to our customers.  To assure continued dependability for users, these distribution systems must be maintained, upgraded and replaced.  New facilities must also be provided as additional demands are made on these systems.  The cost of providing these services is recovered through user fees and rates. 

Approximately 65% of the water consumed by customers in Redmond is purchased from Cascade Water Alliance with the remainder coming from the City's own wells.  King County Metro charges Redmond to treat the wastewater generated from our customers.  Their wastewater treatment rates are passed directly to our customers.  These regional costs makes up a significant portion of our customers' water and wastewater charges.

Overview of Current Water and Wastewater Rates

As of January 1, 2008, water rates were increased by 6% and wastewater rates were increased by 6%.  Several factors contributed to these increased rates:

• Increased wholesale price of water from the Cascade Water Alliance.
• Inflationary increases in operating and maintenance costs.
• Future replacement of water and wastewater infrastructure.
• King County Metro's wastewater treatment pass-through charge will remain unchanged for 2008.

What are the Stormwater Rate Drivers?

What does the Stormwater Rate cover?
The Stormwater Rate covers the City's costs to provide stormwater services to customers.  Each developed parcel in the City is subject to the stormwater utility charge.  Drainage from most properties enters or impacts the City stormwater system in some manner.  These facilities, which are generally located on City streets, require continual maintenance and improvements.  The stormwater utility supports capital improvement projects for flood control, erosion, conveyance improvements, and regional water quality or detention facilities.  The Utility also monitors and improves the health of local streams, constructs habitat improvement projects, and responds to State and Federal regulatory and permitting requirements.  The cost to finance these services is recovered through user fees and rates.  More information on what the Stormwater Utility Fees and Rates fund can be found on the Stormwater Utility website.

Overview of the Current Stormwater Rate

As of January 1, 2007, the stormwater rate was increased by approximately 44% to $16.56 per single family household ad impervious unit (2,000 square feet).  This increase was necessitated by:

• Inflationary increases in operating and maintenance costs.

• Rising capital construction costs for new infrastructure.

• Increased rehabilitation and replacement costs for aging infrastructure.

• Construction of several new Regional Facility Improvements.

• Conformance with several new and updated local, state, and federal mandates.

Until this increase, the Stormwater Rate had been held constant at $11.50 since 1999.

There are no planned Stormwater Rate increases in 2008.
 

For more information on these rates, please call Public Works at 425-556-2701.  For all other information regarding your statement, please call Utility Billing at 425-556-2152.  For more information regarding King County Wastewater and their wastewater treatment charge, please visit their website at http://dnr.metrokc.gov/wtd/homepage/rate/.