HomeMy WebLinkAboutAdmin Order 58-25-04-F -- Wastewater User Fees (FY26)Administrative Order – Page 1 of 2
ADMINISTRATIVE ORDER NO. 58-25-04-F
of the
City Manager of the City of Eugene
SETTING WASTEWATER USER FEES AND SUPERSEDING THE FEE
SCHEDULE ADOPTED BY ADMINISTRATIVE ORDER NO. 58-24-03-F.
The City Manager of the City of Eugene finds as follows:
A.Section 6.411 of the Eugene Code, 1971 (EC), authorizes the City Manager to
determine and set fees and charges to be imposed by the City for wastewater service, regional
wastewater service, and stormwater service. Pursuant to that authority, on May 13, 2024, I issued
Administrative Order No. 58-24-03-F amending the Wastewater User Fee Schedule.
B.On March 26, 2025, I issued Administrative Order No. 58-25-04 ordering that
notice be given of the opportunity to submit written comments on the proposal to set new
wastewater user fees. The Notice specified that comments on the proposed rates for wastewater
service could be submitted orally at the public hearing which would be held remotely on April 10,
2025, at noon using virtual meeting technology, and that written comments could otherwise be
submitted to the City’s Public Works Financial Services Manager until 5 p.m. on April 10, 2025.
There was no testimony at the public hearing and no comments were received within the time or
in the manner described in the Notice.
C.Based on my investigation of the revenue needs of the City in providing wastewater
service using the criteria in EC 6.411(2), I find that the fees should be set as proposed. (See Exhibit
B.)
D.The unamended wastewater fees adopted by Administrative Order No. 58-24-03-F
are incorporated into the Fee Schedule attached as Exhibit A to this Order.
On the basis of these findings, I order that:
1.A copy of this Order shall be promptly forwarded to the Mayor and City Councilors.
Unless reviewed by the Council pursuant to EC 6.411(1)(f), this Order shall become final on the
11th day after the date it is rendered.
2.Notwithstanding the effective date of this Order as set forth above, the Wastewater
User Fee Schedule attached as Exhibit A to this Order is the schedule of fees to be charged for the
described services effective for all bills issued on or after July 1, 2025.
Administrative Order – Page 2 of 2
3. The Fee Schedule attached to Administrative Order No. 58-24-03 is superseded by
the Wastewater User Fee Schedule attached as Exhibit A to this Order effective for all bills issued
on or after July 1, 2025.
Dated this 05/29/2025 day of May, 2025.
Matt Rodrigues (May 29, 2025 14:54 PDT)
Sarah Medary
City Manager
Unless reviewed by Council pursuant to EC 6.411(1)(f), this Order becomes final on
June 9 , 2025.
Exhibit A to Administrative Order No. 58-25-04
Page 1 of 2
WASTEWATER USER FEES
(Effective for all bills issued on or after July 1, 2025)
RATE COMPONENT Rate
RESIDENTIAL:
Per Account Fee:
City of Eugene ........................................................................................ No charge
MWMC................................................................................................... $16.79
Sanitary Sewer Flow-Based Charge per 1,000 Gallons of Water Used:
City of Eugene ........................................................................................ $3.361
MWMC................................................................................................... $3.341
Total flow-based charge per 1,000 gallons of water
used .........................................................................................................
$6.702
TYPICAL RESIDENTIAL BILLING: ...........................................................
(Per Account charge + 5 times the total flow-based charge)
$50.31
COMMERCIAL/INDUSTRIAL:
Per Account Fee, All Commercial/Industrial Classes:
City of Eugene ........................................................................................ No charge
MWMC................................................................................................... $16.79
Sanitary Sewer Flow-Base Charge Per 1,000 Gallons of Water Used by
Customer Class:
Low Strength Customer:
City of Eugene ........................................................................................ $3.361
MWMC................................................................................................... $4.492
Total flow-base charge per 1,000 gallons of water used ........................ $7.853
Medium Strength Customer:
City of Eugene ........................................................................................ $3.361
MWMC................................................................................................... $6.543
Exhibit A to Administrative Order No. 58-25-04
Page 2 of 2
RATE COMPONENT Rate
Total flow-base charge per 1,000 gallons of water used ........................ $9.904
High Strength Customer:
City of Eugene ........................................................................................ $3.361
MWMC................................................................................................... $9.284
Total flow-base charge per 1,000 gallons of water used ........................ $12.645
Very High Strength Customer:
City of Eugene ........................................................................................ $3.361
MWMC................................................................................................... $12.033
Total flow-base charge per 1,000 gallons of water used ........................ $15.394
Super High Strength Customer:
City of Eugene ........................................................................................ $3.361
MWMC................................................................................................... $14.777
Total flow-base charge per 1,000 gallons of water used ........................ $18.138
SEPTAGE HAULERS/HAULED WASTE (NON-SEPTAGE):
City of Eugene ........................................................................................ No charge
MWMC Septage: flow rate/1,000 gallons ............................................. $152.00
MWMC Hauled Waste (non-septage): flow rate/1,000
gallons....................................................................................................
$152.00
Exhibit B
to Administrative Order No. 58-25-04-F
Page 1 of 5
CITY MANAGER’S FINDINGS
Proposed Wastewater Fee Schedule Amendments
All properties connected to the public wastewater system pay wastewater fees. Eugene provides local
wastewater collection services, and the Metropolitan Wastewater Management Commission (MWMC),
a partnership of Lane County and the cities of Eugene and Springfield, operates the regional wastewater
collection and treatment facilities.
The City of Eugene is proposing to increase local wastewater user fees by 5%, effective July 1, 2025. This
rate increase is necessary to balance this fund and end the 6-year forecast window with a balance
available that is at the City’s two-month operating reserve target.
Inflationary pressures experienced by this industry are addressed within this rate increase, as well as
the addition of 0.30 of a FTE in the Engineering Division for Capital Project Delivery: Housing and
Development, 0.20 FTE at the Wastewater Treatment Plant for increased workload for operations and
maintenance and one-third of the cost of a security contract at Roosevelt Yard.
Pursuant to Sections 6.411(1) and (2), the City Manager has conducted an investigation of the revenue
needs of the City in conducting wastewater operations and has examined the following criteria in
determining the proposed wastewater fees:
1) The amount charged for such service in the past.
Findings:
RATE COMPONENT
CURRENT
RATE
PROPOSED
RATE
RESIDENTIAL:
Per Account Fee:
City of Eugene …………………………………………………………………………………………….. No charge No charge
MWMC ………………………………………………………………………………………………………… $15.99 $16.79
Sanitary Sewer Flow-Based Charge per 1,000 Gallons of Water Used:
City of Eugene …………………………………………………………………………………………….. $3.201 $3.361
MWMC ………………………………………………………………………………………………………… $3.182 $3.341
TYPICAL RESIDENTIAL BILLING: ………………………………………………………………………….
(Per Account charge + 5 times the total flow-based charge)
$47.91 $50.31
COMMERCIAL/INDUSTRIAL:
Exhibit B
to Administrative Order No. 58-25-04-F
Page 2 of 5
Per Account Fee, All Commercial/Industrial Classes:
City of Eugene …………………………………………………………………………………………….. No charge No charge
MWMC ………………………………………………………………………………………………………… $15.99 $16.79
Sanitary Sewer Flow-Base Charge Per 1,000 Gallons of Water Used
by Customer Class :
Low Strength Customer:
City of Eugene …………………………………………………………………………………………….. $3.201 $3.361
MWMC ………………………………………………………………………………………………………… $4.278 $4.492
Total flow-base charge per 1,000 gallons of water used………………………….. $7.479 $7.853
Medium Strength Customer:
City of Eugene …………………………………………………………………………………………….. $3.201 $3.361
MWMC ………………………………………………………………………………………………………… $6.231 $6.543
Total flow-base charge per 1,000 gallons of water used………………………….. $9.432 $9.904
High Strength Customer:
City of Eugene …………………………………………………………………………………………….. $3.201 $3.361
MWMC ………………………………………………………………………………………………………… $8.842 $9.284
Total flow-base charge per 1,000 gallons of water used………………………….. $12.043 $12.645
Very High Strength Customer:
City of Eugene …………………………………………………………………………………………….. $3.201 $3.361
MWMC ………………………………………………………………………………………………………… $11.460 $12.033
Total flow-base charge per 1,000 gallons of water used………………………….. $14.661 $15.394
Super High Strength Customer:
City of Eugene …………………………………………………………………………………………….. $3.201 $3.361
MWMC ………………………………………………………………………………………………………… $14.073 $14.777
Total flow-base charge per 1,000 gallons of water used………………………….. $17.274 $18.138
SEPTAGE HAULERS/HAULED WASTE (NON-SEPTAGE):
City of Eugene …………………………………………………………………………………………….. No charge No charge
MWMC Septage: flow rate/1,000 gallons …………………………………………………… $148.00 $152.00
MWMC Hauled Waste (non-septage): flow rate/1,000 gallons ……………………. $148.00 $152.00
2) For regional wastewater treatment services, the recommendation, if any, of the Metropolitan
Wastewater Management Commission, or any successor agency.
Findings: MWMC is proposing a 5% increase in regional wastewater rates over the current rate,
and a 2.7% increase in the Septage Hauler/Hauled Waste fee over the current fee, effective July 1,
2025. MWMC is holding a public hearing specific to the proposal on April 11, 2025, and its
recommendation will follow.
3) Applicable federal or state regulations or conditions imposed as part of a federal or state grant or
financial assistance agreement.
Exhibit B
to Administrative Order No. 58-25-04-F
Page 3 of 5
Typical Residential Wastewater Rate (5kgal)
$100.00
$90.00
$80.00
$89.26 $89.72
$70.00
$60.00
$50.00
$40.00
$66.80 $62.17
$46.23 $47.76 $48.22 $50.31
$30.00 $20.71 $20.00
$10.00
$0.00
Findings: The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality is charged with implementing state
and federal rules governing the operation of wastewater treatment plants. As such, the DEQ has
issued a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Permit (number 102486) for the
Eugene/Springfield Water Pollution Control Facility (i.e., the regional treatment plant at 410 River
Ave, Eugene). The permit describes conditions and limitations to ensure public health and safety and
protection of the environment. The FY25 budget for the regional wastewater program will provide
funding for the City to carry out operations and maintenance activities and services necessary under
the NPDES permit.
The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality is charged with implementing state and federal
rules governing the operation of wastewater treatment plants. As such, the DEQ has issued a
National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Permit (number 102486) for the
Eugene/Springfield Water Pollution Control Facility (i.e., the regional treatment plant at 410 River
Ave, Eugene). The permit describes conditions and limitations to ensure public health and safety and
protection of the environment. The FY25 budget for the regional wastewater program will provide
funding for the City to carry out operations and maintenance activities and services necessary under
the NPDES permit.
4) The Amounts charged or proposed to be charged by the City of Springfield and other providers of
wastewater services for comparable services.
Findings:
5) The revenue needed to pay for the direct and indirect expected costs of constructing, operating,
maintaining, and replacing local and regional sewerage facilities based on the adopted budgets of
Exhibit B
to Administrative Order No. 58-25-04-F
Page 4 of 5
the city of Eugene and the Metropolitan Wastewater Management Commission or its successor,
the debt obligations of the city or other entities for construction of the facilities, adopted capital
improvement plans of the council, the expected need for financial reserves and contingencies, and
other sources of revenue.
For an explanation of regional wastewater fee increases, which are set by the Metropolitan
Wastewater Management Commission, please see the April 11, 2025 meeting for MWMC at
www.mwmcpartners.org/meetings/.
Findings:
Sources of Funds:
FY26
Beginning Working Capital $1,963,833
Current Rate Revenue $14,190,000
Rate Increase Revenue $665,000
Other Revenue $660,200
Total Resources $17,479,033
Uses of Funds:
Operations & Maintenance
$9,977,572
Capital Projects $2,380,000
Administration $2,062,682
Utility Right of Way Fee $891,300
Utility Administration $701,516
Ending Working Capital $1,465,963
Total Requirements $17,479,033
Rate Increase - Proposed 5.0%
*The rate increase is included in the cost of the above programs.
6) Other relevant adopted policies of the council.
Findings: There are no other relevant policies adopted by the City Council that will impact the FY26
proposed rates.
7) The terms of any applicable intergovernmental agreement relating to wastewater services or
regional wastewater treatment service.
Findings: There are no new intergovernmental agreements between the City of Eugene and another
entity that will have a new and material impact to the City’s wastewater program.
8) The obtaining of equity between different classes of customers so that one class of customers
does not pay more than its proportionate share of the expenses of providing sewer service.
Exhibit B
to Administrative Order No. 58-25-04-F
Page 5 of 5
Findings: The wastewater fee schedule is a flow-based fee set up to charge customers whose
residence or business use more water, and thus requires more wastewater to be treated, to pay a
higher fee. There is one rate charged per thousand gallons of water used for residential customers
and five different categories of rates for commercial customers depending upon the strength and
characteristics of the wastewater discharged to the public sewer system.
9) In addition to the forgoing considerations, in determining the amounts or rates to be charged for
wastewater service, the city manager shall consider the value of the use and occupancy of the
city’s right-of-way by the city wastewater system.
Findings: The City of Eugene wastewater program is paying a similar charge for the use and
occupancy of the City of Eugene’s right-of-way system, when compared to other utilities in the area.