Smell a sewer hike?

By RALPH BARTHOLDT

Staff Writer

Getting rid of sewage is systematic, orderly and it comes down to science.

Paying for it comes down to economics.

In an effort to pay for a wastewater system upgrade that puts Coeur d’Alene into compliance with a judge’s order, the city is considering a 6.5 percent sewer rate hike.

A public hearing on the plan to increase rates is scheduled at 6 tonight at the City Council meeting in the Coeur d’Alene library.

A court ruling less than a decade ago that required cities to dramatically decrease phosphorus and ammonia in wastewater dumped into the Spokane River resulted in upgrades over the past five years at the Coeur d’Alene wastewater facility. Its water is pushed into the river after being scrubbed at the treatment plant near North Idaho College.

Following the judge’s edict, the city was approved for a $33 million loan to get the work done. Sewer rates were increased five years ago to help pay for the first phase of upgrades. The latest proposed rate increase that spans the next five years will pay for a second phase of required improvements, including a third tier of filters.

“As soon as we pay that we’re going to find that fees should flatten out,” council member Dan Gookin said.

Gookin, who spent a day at the facility last week to learn about the science of treating wastewater and the economics of paying for upgrades, said news of the impending rate increase is offset with a bit of good news.

“Capitalization fees are going down,” he said.

That means, the amount homeowners pay to buy into the city’s sewage system will be less going forward.

In addition, Gookin said, the new system does its job so well that, “We’re pretty much putting potable water back into the river.”

Wastewater superintendent Mike Anderson said the latest fee proposal was arrived at through an independant engineering study, which happens about every five years. The proposal will hit commercial users more than residential users.

“We want to make sure we have enough money to treat the wastewater and that everyone is paying their fair share,” Anderson said.

The latest rate schedule, if it’s approved by the council tonight, includes a total monthly charge for residential users of about $12. The increase means rates will jump from about $26.40 to $37.98 in 2018 and increase incrementally for the next five years to $48.82 per month in 2022.

The average commercial ratepayer will pay a monthly service charge of $11.66 this year — up from $7.80 — and $5.01 per 1,000 gallons of usage — up from $3.36.

Capitalization fees for a multi-family dwelling will be reduced from $3,325 to $3,305 and commercial cap fees will also be reduced according to the type of business or facility.

The required wastewater system improvements to eliminate phosphorus and ammonia from emissions, including the addition of the tertiary, or three-filter, system, is something communities along the Spokane River are wrestling with. Phosphorus is a cause of algal blooms in Long Lake downstream of Spokane.

“Every user from here to Long Lake is seeing those requirements,” Anderson said.