04/10/1989 Meeting - Laserfiche WebLink

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e thus there would be a smaller percentage increase during the first year for the majority of users. In response to a question, staff said operational cost increases are due primarily to increases in wage and power costs. Mr. Jessie added that the number of FTEs is being reduced at both the regional and local levels. City Manager Micheal Gleason said a significant issue affecting the local sewer rate is the need for capital improvements. He said the City Council will have to make a policy decision regarding the level of long-term investment that should be made in the local sewer system. Mr. Boles asked whether the current regional sewer reserves are adequate. He wondered whether it would be more prudent to endure somewhat larger rate increases now, rather than reducing the reserves and having, at some point in the future, to raise regional sewer rates substantially. Mr. Bennett said MWMC is concerned about this issue, too, and will be taking it into account when it makes its regional sewer rate recommendations to the City Council. In response to a question, staff said the regional rates are covering the cost of replacing equipment, but not of replacing the sewage treatment plant. - Mr. Rutan asked about the technological state of the plant relative to treatment facilities elsewhere in the world. He also said he has read about new research on water purification techniques. Ms. Andersen said the current plant is at a fairly high technological level; for example, it adheres to the highest effluent standards that are required for new water treatment facilities. Terry Smith, Public Works staff, added that new techniques have been developed for small-scale water purification; however, there has not been a lot of success in applying these new techniques to a large scale. He said the staff at the treatment plant tries to keep abreast of new technological developments and to make modifications whenever they are advantageous. Mr. Rutan asked about the sewer system investments that were made recently in west Eugene. Mr. Gleason said these investments, in a sense, will do double duty: they will serve any industrial development that occurs in the area; and they were a necessary component in the integration of the entire sewer system. He said that even if no industrial development occurs (which is not likely), the investments still would have been necessary. He said the City will recover its costs over the next 20 years or so as development occurs. In response to a question, Mr. Jessie said the flow-based rate structure has worked reasonably well. It has increased administrative costs a little. Mr. Smith mentioned that Eugene has one of the most flow-based of flow-based rate systems; therefore, it has some of the lowest sewer rates at the low-use end of the spectrum, and some of the highest sewer rates at the high-use end of the spectrum. - MINUTES--Eugene City Council April la, 1989 Page 2