Wastewater Rate FAQs
At the City of Sandy, we understand that many members of our community have been feeling the impact of the recent increases in wastewater (sewer) rates. We put together this FAQ page to answer some of the most common questions people have raised. If you have additional questions, please feel free to contact the City at 503-668-5533 or utilitybilling@ci.sandy.or.us
Also, while this page is just an overview, you can access much more information on Sandy’s wastewater system improvement plans and projects on the project overview page.
Frequently Asked Questions
Like many other cities, Sandy’s wastewater infrastructure is aging and there is limited funding available to make improvements. Our existing system is no longer able to reliably meet federal and state requirements that protect local streams and rivers, and our growing community is adding additional demand to a system under increasing strain. Oregon’s Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) is requiring the City to address these problems as soon as possible.
The sewer rate increases, which went into effect in January 2020, are necessary to help pay for immediate upgrades and investments to comply with state regulations, improve and repair our aging treatment plant, fix our leaky sewage collection system, and add needed capacity. Learn more about the Wastewater System Improvements.
In the past, Sandy had some of the lowest wastewater rates in our area. In fact, in many years over the past decade, billing rates did not increase at all even though system costs continued to rise. That meant the City had a lot of ground to make up to make the system's finances sustainable.
With the new increased rates, Sandy is about average relative to other cities in Clackamas County. View a graph comparing monthly charges for a typical single-family household on the Water Systems Improvement page.
While monthly utility bills include a base charge, much of the bill is calculated based on individual consumption. During the COVID-19 response, many local residents have been spending more time working or learning at home, which has increased water and sewer usage for most households.
The other main cause of spiked bills is water leaks. Remember – sewer and water charges are both based off your water consumption. Things like leaky toilets and faucets can use many gallons of water if left unfixed. If you aren’t sure whether you have a leak, give us a call at 503-668-5533. If we do find that you have a leak, we may be able to make an adjustment on your bill. There is also more information on water conservation available on the Regional Water Providers Consortium website.
The City Council approved an assistance program to help lower-income individuals afford their utility bills. Those who meet the income threshold can have the wastewater portion of their bills reduced by 50%. For more information, visit the customer assistance program page.
Also, during the COVID-19 response the City has made the decision to suspend late fees and water shut-offs for non-payment. We understand this is a difficult time and we are mindful of the financial difficulties being experienced by our fellow residents.
There is a great deal of information on the reasons wastewater rates had to be increased, how Sandy’s rates compare to other area cities, and the required improvement projects currently underway available on the project overview page.
It is important to know that per state law, wastewater rate revenue must only be used on the city’s wastewater utility. The revenue raised by the wastewater rate increase will be used to pay for the principal and interest on loans and special financing for the wastewater system improvements. The city is financially audited on an annual basis to ensure laws are followed and dollars are spent legally and appropriately. View the publicly available audit results.
In addition to the monthly fee increases, new commercial and residential development projects will pay their fair share for the required sewer investments. System Development Charges, which are paid by new development, were increased from $1,834 to $4,889 for each new home in 2020, and are proposed to increase to $5,157 in 2021. View the Wastewater System Improvements page.
The Sandy City Council always welcomes comments and feedback from residents. City Council meetings are open to the public, and each meeting includes a public comment period where anyone can address the Council (typically for 3 minutes each). Meeting information is available at https://sandy.civicweb.net/portal/. If you have a letter or email you would like to be considered by the Council at one of its meetings, send it to recorder@ci.sandy.or.us
If you have specific questions about your utility bill, contact us at 503-668-5533 or utilitybilling@ci.sandy.or.us
