Moses Lake adopts stormwater utility rate

MOSES LAKE — The Moses Lake City Council voted to set a monthly residential stormwater utility rate for $5 and adopted stormwater credits for commercial properties with on-site systems.

The ordinance was unanimously adopted on a first reading Tuesday night. It must be passed on a second reading before it is made official.

The ordinance is expected to be in effect March 1, 2010.

The Department of Ecology and Environmental Protection Agency mandated Moses Lake to implement a stormwater treatment plan to ensure water is treated before re-entering the water supply.

The City of Moses Lake is required to clean streets of debris to prevent it from entering the treatment system through catch basins, dry wells must now be checked for compliance and new regulations are placed on what types of chemicals and debris are allowed to leave private property into the system.

The city estimates it will cost roughly $610,000 during the first year to implement and operate the new plan with system upgrades and new equipment purchases.

The $5 residential rate will cover more than half of the cost.

The cost for non-residential properties with up to 6,000 square feet of impervious surface is also $5 per month.

Impervious surface is space that does not absorb water including pavement and roof space.

Non-residential property up to 15,000 square feet of impervious surface is a monthly cost of $8.50. Non-residential up to 30,000 square feet of impervious surface is $12.50 per month. Non-residential up to 60,000 square feet of impervious surface is $25 per month. Non-residential up to 120,000 square feet of impervious surface is $50 per month. Non-residential up to 240,000 square feet is $100 and anything over 240,000 square feet of impervious surface is $150 per month.

Council also approved to give financial credits to commercial properties utilizing their own stormwater system on-site after an outcry from the business community noting many of them do not use the city’s stormwater treatment system because their water does not leave their site without treatment. The credits come in the form of a reduced rate on utility bills.

Council approved to grant an 80 percent credit to qualifying commercial businesses if they maintained their own stormwater system on their own property and do not use the city’s system. An active National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permit is required to be eligible for the credit.

Originally is was proposed to give a 40 percent credit but council chose to increase the credit to 80 percent because they treat stormwater on site. Council did not give them a 100 percent credit due to the impact of traffic flowing to and from their site causing contamination to the city’s system by the roadways.

Qualifying commercial properties can get a 50 percent credit if they have an on-site treatment system that meets the Best Management Practices in the most current version of the Stormwater Management Manual of Eastern Washington.

Originally the credit was proposed to be 25 percent.

A 10 percent credit is given to commercial property with on-site stormwater discharges from roofs of non-residential buildings to a privately maintained stormwater facility using a rainwater harvesting system complying with Ecology requirements.

All credit opportunities are reviewed by the city and must comply with the city’s regulations for approval. Credits are not cumulative.

Undeveloped property is not assessed a stormwater utility fee.

Municipal Services Director Gary Harer estimates about one-third of commercial properties are eligible for a credit.

City Manager Joe Gavinski said all eligible property owners will be contacted by the city to help them apply for the credit.

Mayor Ron Covey said the ordinance will be reviewed after its implementation to ensure people are not being charged too much or to make sure they are being charged enough to pay for the program. He explained the city is not allowed to use the utility to make a profit. The city should only collect enough money to pay for the treatment plan operation and if the city collects too much money, they must charge less to customers the next year, he explained.

Councilmember Brent Reese was absent from the meeting due to a family-related issue.