Sewer-rate increase for King County to last 3 years

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The Metropolitan King County Council voted Monday to raise the monthly sewer fee from $23.40 to $25.60. The 9.4 percent increase goes into effect at the beginning of next year.

It is the first rate increase since 2002.

The council also voted to raise the additional "capacity charge" paid by owners of newly connected properties even more steeply. That rate, which will go up from $18 to $34.05 a month, and will be held constant for three years.

The rate-increase ordinance was restructured over the weekend as the council's newest members, Bob Ferguson, D-Seattle, and Steve Hammond, R-Enumclaw, worked with County Executive Ron Sims' staff to hold rates steady for a longer time.

Sims originally proposed annual increases in the capacity charge to pay for the $1.35 billion Brightwater treatment plant and other capital projects. The capacity charge would have gone up to $28.50 next year, to $36.05 in 2006 and to $37.13 in 2007.

Ferguson said three consecutive years of rate increases would have meant "artificially low" rates next year, followed by dramatic rate increases the two following years.

County Councilwoman Carolyn Edmonds, D-Shoreline, cast the only vote against the rate increase, saying the public should first be invited to comment on the revisions.

Keith Ervin: 206-464-2105 or kervin@seattletimes.com

Information in this article, orginally published June 16, was corrected June 18. King County's new sewer rate of $25.60 per month will be in effect for two years, not three as reported. A monthly "capacity charge" of $34.05 for new homes will be in effect for three years. The rate hikes are effective Jan. 1, 2005.