HomeMy WebLinkAbout7004ORDINANCE NO. 7004
AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF
AUBURN, WASHINGTON, AMENDING SECTIONS
13.06.360, 13.20.440, AND 13.48.100 OF THE AUBURN
CITY CODE (ACC), RELATING TO CITY UTILITY RATES
WHEREAS, pursuant to its powers in RCW 35.92, the City has established water,
sewer, and storm drainage utilities to serve its residents;
WHEREAS, consistent with its responsibilities to operate these utilities in a cost-
effective manner and in a manner that reflects the City's actual operating costs, the City
periodically reviews its utility rate structure to ensure that its rates are set appropriately;
WHEREAS, in 2025, the City consulted with FCS Group to study the City's current
utility rates against the City's cost of utility service delivery and revenue requirements;
WHEREAS, in light of the above recitals, and following the FCS Group utility rate
review conducted at City staff request, City staff recommends that City utility rates should
be adjusted as reflected in this Ordinance.
NOW, THEREFORE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF AUBURN,
WASHINGTON, DO ORDAIN as follows:
Section 1. Amendment to City Code. Section 13.06.360 of the Auburn City
Code is hereby amended to read as set forth in Exhibit A to this Ordinance.
Section 2. Amendment to City Code. Section 13.20.440 of the Auburn City
Code is hereby amended to read as set forth in Exhibit B to this Ordinance.
Section 3. Amendment to City Code. Section 13.48.100 of the Auburn City
Code is hereby amended to read as set forth in Exhibit C to this Ordinance.
--------------------------------
Ordinance No. 7004
November 13, 2025
Page 1 of 2
Section 4. Implementation. The Mayor is authorized to implement those
administrative procedures necessary to carry out the directives of this legislation.
Section 5. Severability. The provisions of this Ordinance are declared to be
separate and severable. The invalidity of any clause, sentence, paragraph, subdivision,
section, or portion of this Ordinance, or the invalidity of the application of it to any person
or circumstance, will not affect the validity of the remainder of this Ordinance, or the
validity of its application to other persons or circumstances.
Section 6. Effective date. This Ordinance will take effect and be in force five
days from and after its passage, approval, and publication as provided by law.
ATTEST:
Shawn Campbell, MMC, City Clerk
Published: Wv.Q,'( hey EO,
Ordinance No. 7004
November 13, 2025
Page 2 of 2
INTRODUCED:
PASSED:
APPROVED:
NOV 17 2025
NOV 17 2025
NOV 17 2025
NANCY BAC S, AYOR
APP VED T F
ason Whalen, City Attorney
Tne Sea-H i'rn2s
EXHIBIT A ORD. 7004
ACC 13.06.360 Water service Rates — Generally.
A. Except as provided in subsections B and C of this section, effective January 1, 2026,
the monthly base rate for all water user classifications except interruptible wholesale
shall be as set forth in Table 13.06.360-1 below.
Table 13.06.360-1.
Monthly Charge
Effective
Effective
Effective
Meter Size (inches)
January 1,
January 1,
January 1,
2026
2027
2028
5/8, 3/4
$ 24.43
$ 26.34
$ 28.39
1 (Single -Family
$ 24.43
$ 26.34
$ 28.39
Residential)
1 (All Other
$ 27.41
$ 29.55
$ 31.85
Classes)
1-1/2
$ 29.85
$ 32.18
$ 34.69
2
$ 34.41
$ 37.09
$ 39.98
3
$ 66.18
$ 71.34
$ 76.90
4
$ 83.04
$ 89.52
$ 96.50
6
$ 106.12
$ 114.40
$ 123.32
8
$ 137.09
$ 147.78
$ 159.31
10
$ 194.65
$ 209.83
$ 226.20
Charge per 100 cubic feet (ccf)
Effective Effective Effective
Customer Class January 1, January 1, January 1,
2026 2027 2028
Single -Family
Residential:
Oto7ccf
$4.84
$5.22
$5.63
7.01 to 15 ccf
$ 5.92
$ 6.38
$ 6.88
Over 15 ccf
$ 6.74
$ 7.27
$ 7.84
Multifamily Residential
$ 5.80
$ 6.25
$ 6.74
Commercial
$ 6.11
$ 6.59
$ 7.10
Manufacturing/Industrial
$ 5.97
$ 6.44
$ 6.94
Schools
$ 6.50
$ 7.01
$ 7.56
Municipal/City Accounts
$ 6.02
$ 6.49
$ 7.00
Irrigation
$ 8.04
$ 8.67
$ 9.35
Wholesale (Algona)
$ 2.71
$ 2.79
$ 2.88
Fifty percent shall be added to all rates for water service for customers outside the city
limits. City of Auburn utility taxes are included in the monthly rate for all customers
except wholesale accounts. Wholesale rates exclude the 50 percent out -of -city service
charge and state excise taxes.
B. Interruptible wholesale water supply customers shall pay monthly the sum of the
following:
1. Standby Service Charge: the cost to maintain, repair, and replace the infrastructure
required to provide water utility service to the interruptible wholesale water customer
when the customer requests water supply from the city of Auburn. This charge also
includes the interruptible wholesale water customer's proportional share of the peak
capacity charge imposed on the City by Tacoma Public Utilities. This is a fixed monthly
charge and does not include the delivery of any quantity of water.
2. Usage Charge: the cost of water supply. The charge is based on actual water
deliveries, if any, during the month times the usage rate.
3. Purchased Water Surcharge: In any month in which water is purchased from
Tacoma Public Utilities or other external agency, the interruptible wholesale customer
shall pay an additional charge of $2.53 per ccf, applied to the quantity of water
purchased by the city of Auburn during the month to supply the interruptible wholesale
customer.
Charge
Standby Service Charge (per
month)*
Usage Charge (per ccf)
Purchased Water Surcharge
(per ccf of water purchased)**
Interruptible Wholesale Rates
Effective Effective Effective
January 1, January 1, January 1,
2026 2027 2028
$ 2,131.05 $ 2,141.74 $ 2,153.27
$ 2.49 $ 2.56 $ 2.64
$ 2.53 $ 2.53 $ 2.53
* The Standby Service Charge (per month) rates shown are based on the most current
information provided to the City by Tacoma Public Utilities for its contracted peak capacity
charge per month. Rates may be adjusted as necessary to account for the interruptible
wholesale customer's calculated proportional share of the peak capacity charge when Tacoma
Public Utilities releases updates.
** Purchased Water Surcharge rates to change if Tacoma Public Utilities updates its wholesale
summer season peaking rate.
C. Water customers served by the City's Braunwood water system. City water
customers served by the City's Satellite Water System for Braunwood Estates
(approved by City Resolution 2114) shall be subject to the following monthly water
service rates, effective January 1, 2026:
Monthly Charge
Effective
Effective
Effective
Meter Size (inches)
January 1,
January 1,
January 1,
2026
2027
2028
3/4"
$ 24.43
$ 26.33
$ 28.39
1 "
$ 24.43
$ 26.33
$ 28.39
$ 29.85
$ 32.18
$ 34.69
2"
$ 34.41
$ 37.09
$ 39.99
3"
$ 66.18
$ 71.34
$ 76.90
4"
$ 83.04
$ 89.52
$ 96.50
6"
$ 106.12
$ 114.40
$ 123.32
8"
$ 137.09
$ 147.78
$ 159.31
10"
$ 194.65
$ 209.84
$ 226.20
Variable Charges based on ccf (100 cubic feet of water used)
Effective
Effective
Effective
Description
January 1,
January 1,
January 1,
2026
2027
2028
B1 (0-7 ccf)
$ 4.84
$ 5.22
$ 5.62
B2 (7.01-15 ccf)
$ 5.92
$ 6.38
$ 6.88
B3 (15.01 - 25 ccf)
$ 6.74
$ 7.26
$ 7.83
B4 (25.01-38 ccf)
$ 7.47
$ 8.05
$ 8.68
B5 (38+ ccf)
$ 14.95
$ 16.12
$ 17.38
EXHIBIT B ORD. 7004
ACC 13.20.440 Sewer Rates and charges.
A. Sewer Rates. The monthly sewer charge to city of Auburn sanitary sewer customers
consists of two separate fees. Auburn sanitary sewer utility imposes a charge to
maintain, expand and operate the utility's sewer conveyance facilities, and King County
imposes a separate fee for the service King County provides. No charge shall be
imposed by the city on the amount charged by King County, which amount the city shall
pass directly onto the customer as the cost of the service that King County is providing.
The Auburn monthly charge shall be as set forth in Table 13.20.440-1 below.
Table 13.20.440-1.
City of Auburn Monthly Charge
Effective Effective Effective
Customer Class January 1, January 1, January 1,
2026 2027 2028
Single -Family Residential Rate -- $ 32.94 $ 33.60 $ 34.27
Inside City Limits
Single -Family Residential Rate -- $ 49.41 $ 50.40 $ 51.41
Outside City Limits
Non -Single -Family Residential $ 36.13 $ 36.85 $ 37.59
Rate -- Inside City Limits for the
first 750 cubic feet of water used
each month
Plus for each additional 100 cubic $ 3.66 $ 3.73 $ 3.80
feet thereafter
Non -Single -Family Residential $ 54.20 $ 55.28 $ 56.39
Rate -- Outside City Limits for the
first 750 cubic feet of water used
each month
Plus for each additional 100 cubic $ 5.49 $ 5.60 $ 5.70
feet thereafter
Commercial accounts will be allowed to average winter water consumption for the billing
dates falling between December through May to determine the summer sewer rates for
the billing dates falling between July and October. Said allowance shall be upon
application and with appropriate justification that additional summer usage does not
enter the sewer system. The months of November through June shall be billed per
water used, at the rates noted above.
Commercial accounts without city water service shall be charged at the published rate
based on a city -approved water meter or other acceptable means of recording water
use. The meter shall be read by the city to determine sewage charges on commercial
private water systems.
Commercial accounts that have industrial use of domestic water that is not discharged
into the sanitary sewer system may request a deduct meter to measure the water that is
actually discharged to the sewer system. The customer will be allowed to deduct the
amount of water usage that is not discharged to the sanitary sewer system.
Irrigation meters shall not be billed for sanitary sewer service.
B. Permit Fees. Permit fees for side sewer repair, replacement, inspection, or
installation of side sewers shall be as shown in the city of Auburn fee schedule.
EXHIBIT C ORD. 7004
ACC 13.48.100 Storm Water Rates.
A. The customer classes and rates below are based upon the cost of services provided
by the storm utility. The storm water rates shall be as set forth in Table 13.48.100-1
below.
Table 13.48.100-1.
ESU' Rate per Month
Effective Effective Effective
Customer Class January 1, January 1, January 1,
2026 2027 2028
Single -Family Residential Parcels $, 19.94 $ 20.59 $ 21.26
and Two -Family Residential
Parcels
Single -Family with Detention and
$ 15.56
$ 16.07
$ 16.59
Water Quality Treatment
Non -Single -Family
$ 19.94
$ 20.59
$ 21.26
Non -Single -Family with Detention
$ 17.16
$ 17.72
$ 18.30
Non -Single -Family with Retention
$ 14.37
$ 14.84
$ 15.32
Non -Single -Family with Water
$ 18.34
$ 18.94
$ 19.56
Quality Treatment
Non -Single -Family with Detention
$ 15.56
$ 16.07
$ 16.59
and Water Quality Treatment
Non -Single -Family with Retention
$ 12.77
$ 13.19
$ 13.62
and Water Quality Treatment
1 An "equivalent service unit (ESU)" is defined .in ACC 13.48.010 as 2,600 square feet
of impervious surface.
The customer classes set forth in this subsection shall be applicable only if the
qualifying on -site facilities have met applicable city standards upon installation, have
received city approval of construction, and are in conformity with the applicable
operations and maintenance standards. If the city determines that the operation and
maintenance standards are not being complied with, the customer class shall be
determined to be that of non -single-family only, until operation and maintenance of the
facilities meet city standards. The customer being billed may apply in writing for a
system inspection. If the inspection shows that the facilities meet city standards, the
customer will be reclassified to the previous class.
B. Developed Parcels. Only developed parcels containing impervious surfaces as
defined in ACC 13.48.010 shall be charged.
C. Multiple Class Accounts. When a developed non -single-family parcel contains more
than one customer class, the appropriate rate for each customer class will be
calculated, and the aggregate total summed for billing.