04/22/1987 Meeting - Laserfiche WebLink

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e Replying to other questions from Mr. Holmer, Ms. Andersen said the $100,000 included in the City's Capital Improvement Program (CIP) for storm sewer improvements will construct small improvements and replace existing facilities. It will not pay for improvements identified in the Storm Drainage Master Plan that ;s being prepared. Answering questions from Mayor Obie, Mr. Jessie said the proposed rates include a 4.5 percent increase in storm and sanitary sewer operational costs for the second year. Capital improvements for both years are identified in the CIP. Replying to questions from Mr. Miller. Mr. Jessie said the proposed rates include some future improvements to sanitary sewers and some future improvements to storm sewers in Eugene. The rates include "seed money" for the Riverfront Research Park until improvements can be assessed to property owners. Mr. Gleason added that the City pays for 12 to 16 percent of street improvements that cannot be assessed to property owners. For example. the City pays for some intersections and manhole covers. He said the City had to make an investment in sewers in the River Road/Santa Clara area before the costs can be assessed to property owners. Answering questions from Mr. Holmer, Mr. Jessie said the proposed rates will increase average residential storm sewer charges 13.7 percent and average residential sanitary sewer charges 11.1 percent in the next two years. e Mr. Holmer initiated a comparison of Eugene's sewage treatment costs to Portland's sewage treatment costs. One of Mr. Jessie's slides compared sewer rates in Eugene to rates in other cities. Mr. Gleason said most cities have separate sanitary and storm sewers. He discussed the standards set by the Federal Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) for Eugene and Portland. Answering questions from Mr. Bennett and Ms. Ehrman, Mr. Jessie said it is hard to know what is included in Portland's sewer charges. He said he is quite sure that other jurisdictions do not recover all sanitary and storm sewer costs in their fees. Eugene includes leaf pick-up in the storm sewer charge. Replying to questions from Ms. Schue, Mr. Jessie said the United Sewerage Agency includes the Beaverton/Tigard area. Mr. Gleason said the United Sewerage Agency sewer fee does not include storm sewage charges. Rep 1 yi ng to a question from Mr. Rutan. Coy Jones. Superi ntendent of the Wastewater Treatment Pl ant, said the Wastewater Treatment Pl ant uses an activated sludge treatment process which is the best process for the stringent requirements Eugene must meet. He said the plant is computerized and uses modern technology. Mr. Gleason said many cost savings have been incorporated into the plant operation. For example. electricity is generated from methane gas. Ms. Wooten said cost efficiencies after construction of the new treatment plant created surplus revenues which were to be used to offset sewer charges. Ms. Andersen responded that the surplus was incorporated into the regional rates adopted two years ago. She said most of the surplus has been used but some of it is included in the regional rates being reviewed by the MWMC. e MINUTES--Eugene City Council Work Session April 22, 1987 Page 2