North Bend City Council votes to add increase to sewer rates to the November ballot

The North Bend City Council met in a specially-called meeting to discuss a proposed sewer rate increase. The city of North Bend is facing a deficit in terms of the amount of money allocated to the wastewater division. At present, the city isn’t brining in enough revenue to fund both improvements to the wastewater infrastructure and operating expenses. North Bend has 10 pump stations and 51 miles of wastewater sewer line. North Bend passed Measure 6-176 in 2020. The measure removed the authority for the city council to vote to increase rates on their own, thereby requiring a vote of the citizens in order to raise rates.

The council was presented with two potential scenarios that could be used to increase the sewer rate over time. The first scenario included a 20% increase per year for 3 years in a row, followed by an annual increase of between 3.5% and 5% The second scenario included a 50% increase in 2025, followed by a 10% increase in 2026 and an annual increase of between 3.5% and 5%. The difference between the 3.5% and 5% was to account for whether or not the city wanted to more gradually finance a major expansion to the treatment plant, or whether to ask the voters, and a future council, to make the decision as to how to finance the treatment plant years down the road.

North Bend’s sewer rates are, at present, some of the lowest in the state. Based on a figure of 168 gallons, a single family household in Coos Bay has a sewer rate of $85.69, while a North Bend household’s rate for those same 168 gallons is $36.66. In either scenario, should the measure pass in November, North Bend residents would see an approximately $23 per month increase.

After some back-and-forth between the councilors as to which approach would be the more likely increase structure to gain approval by the voters, the council voted to put scenario one on the ballot, meaning North Bend voters will get to vote on whether or not they wish to increase their sewer rates by 20% per year for the following three years, followed by an annual 5% increase thereafter.