July 12, 2010

Keeping the water around Seattle clean is going to cost the city half a billion dollars over the next fifteen years.

Seattle Public Utilities will soon begin a federally-mandated, $500 million city-wide infrastructure improvement program designed to reduce storm and wastewater pollution. This will mean higher sewer and drainage bills for people, beginning next year, and for years afterwards.

City officials acknowledge that the Great Recession is not the best time to be raising customers' rates, but say the expensive work is needed to make sure Seattle complies with U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and state Department of Ecology standards under the Clean Water Act. Other cities face similar requirements.

Between now and 2025, about 15 construction projects will occur with the aim of preventing storm water from entering the water system, increasing capacity at treatment plants and creating more environmentally friendly infrastructure. Affected neighborhoods include Ballard, Wallingford and Montlake.

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Source: Seattle P-I