How would you like it if your water and sewer bills went up 43%?
Jan 9, 2025, 10:01 AM | Updated: 10:45 am
People in Everett may see as much as a 43% increase in water and sewer bills. (Photo: Getty Images)
(Photo: Getty Images)
We all know money is getting tighter as prices move higher. But Everett residents are facing a staggering 43% increase in their water and sewer prices. That would mean the monthly bill for a single-family home would rise from $122 this year to $184 in 2028.
Shaun Bridge, the public works finance manager, told the Everett City Council on Wednesday that a considerable increase is a distinct possibility.
According to an Everett Herald report, the rate increases come from a 38% increase in building costs since 2018 and other capital construction projects.
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That 43% figure comes from a combination of water and filtration costs as well as sewer and surface water expenses.
A lot of the money will be spent on dealing with sewer overflows. In 2015, the State Department of Ecology mandated efforts to help deal with overflows by 2027. As a result, the city is committing to a $200 million facility at Port Gardner and will be located next to Naval Station Everett. Also coming is an $80 million facility at 36th Street.
Despite increased funds, there are no plans to replace the city’s 75-year-old sewer pipes.
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540,000 people rely on the reservoir for drinking water in Snohomish County.
The increases are set to be discussed at a public hearing during the City Council meeting next Wednesday.
A potential vote will come on Jan. 8.
Bill Kaczaraba is a content editor at MyNorthwest. You can read his stories here. Follow Bill on X and email him here.
