King County residents could soon see higher sewage bills as the county tries to keep pace with population growth and climate change.
Residents may soon be subject to a 12.75% rate hike to help pay for billions in system upgrades over the next 10 years, according to The Seattle Times.
The media outlet reported that the work will help increase capacity during heavy rains to reduce the amount of sewage flowing into local lakes and streams.
Some Seattle and King County neighborhoods rely on older systems that funnel wastewater from homes and businesses into the same pipes as stormwater, and sometimes the infrastructure overflows, The Seattle Times explained.
The Wastewater Treatment Division said it needs to make $14 billion worth of infrastructure upgrades to keep an aging system from being overwhelmed as the region grows.
If approved, the rate hike would translate to an additional $8 a month for the average ratepayer, with another double-digit rate hike in the works.
King County residents also facing proposed PSE rate hikes
Earlier this month, Puget Sound Energy also proposed rate hikes. PSE’s new prices would add around $51 a month to a typical residential electric bill by 2029. The utility company is looking to bring in more than $1.5 billion over the three-year rate period.
If approved, the increases would roll out over three years starting in early 2027, according to PSE. A typical electric customer using 800 kWh per month would see their bill rise by approximately $28 in 2027, $7 in 2028, and $16 in 2029. For a typical natural gas customer using 64 therms per month, the increases would be about $14, $4, and $5 over the same period.
Bill Gaines, the executive director for the Alliance of Northwest Energy Consumers, told KIRO 7 the increases reflect a shift toward renewable energy.
PSE stated that over the next three years, it needs to invest $3.2 billion in its gas and electric system. It noted 70% of that investment will go toward the electric system, which is under increasing strain.
This story was originally posted to MyNorthwest.com
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