Utility rates between the towns compared

Ever wonder how your utility rates compare to those in nearby towns? There are some variations in residential water, sewer, and garbage rates between Electric City, Grand Coulee, Coulee Dam, and Elmer City, with rates going up here or there for this or that in 2022. 

In 2021, the average water rate between the four towns is $44.67 a month for water, $57.38 for sewer, and $30.23 for the average 65 gallon garbage can.

The biggest discrepancy in water bills is between Elmer City, where water runs $36.68 a month, compared to Coulee Dam where it is $54.76. 

The biggest discrepancy in garbage bills is between Elmer City, where the service costs $26.52 per month for a 65-gallon can, and Coulee Dam, where the charge is $36.33.

And the biggest discrepancy in sewer bills is between Electric City, where it is $35.79 a month, and Coulee Dam where it is more than twice that at $72 a month. 

Combined, in 2021, the average Electric City water/sewer/garbage bill is $110.25; $132.16 in Grand Coulee; $163.09 in Coulee Dam; and $124.12 in Elmer City, for an average of $132.41 between the four towns. 

Coulee Dam, with the highest cost locally for water/sewer/garbage, is $52.84 cents higher than the lowest cost in Electric City.

These amounts, taken from a chart provided by Electric City Clerk Peggy Nevsimal, do not factor in variables such as using more than the minimum amount of water, having other sized garbage cans, or commercial rates. 

They also don’t include the cost for electricity, which varies across the different local sources. The Star will look at that in a future article.

Electric City, at their Dec. 14 council meeting, discussed raising their sewer rates to an even $40 a month, and to raise it more in the coming years.

The raise could be made official, if approved, at the council’s January meeting.

Councilmember Brian Buche pointed out that Electric City’s rate was roughly half of the other towns, and that Electric City shares a wastewater treatment facility with Grand Coulee, with needed updates to that facility being a common discussion in both cities.

The council also decided not to raise water rates this year, which used to automatically rise $1 a year before the council voted to choose from year to year whether to raise the rates. 

It was also discussed that garbage rates are likely to go up, and so it was best to raise sewer rates only by $4.21, rather than a larger amount, to ease the transition, and to raise them more in coming years.

Grand Coulee City Clerk Lorna Pearce said she was told by Sunrise Disposal, which hauls garbage in the area, that they estimate their rates to the city will go up by 14.9%.

The cities can choose to raise the residents’ rates by that amount, or to absorb some of the extra cost. 

Sunrise’s rates are going up due to increasing rates at the Delano Regional Transfer Station, where they take the garbage, going up by 33% That is due to rates at the Grant County Landfill having gone up 71% in 2021 and expected to go up more. 

In Grand Coulee yesterday, the council approved a full 14.9% increase, bringing the cost of a 65 gallon can from $28.59 a month to $32.85, an increase of $4.26.

An automatic 2% increase in water rates takes their water rate up by 85 cents to $43.10 per month.

And an increase in sewer rates approved last month by the council raises that cost $1.22 to $62.04 per month.

That brings Grand Coulee’s 2022 estimated average utility bill to $137.99, up from $132.16 in 2021, an increase of $5.83 per month or $69.96 per year.

A full 14.9% increase in garbage rates in Electric City would bring the cost of a 65 gallon can from $29.47 per month to $33.86, an increase of $4.39, and along with the sewer rate boost would bring Electric City’s estimated utility bill to $118.85 per month, up from $110.25 in 2021, an increase of $8.60 per month, or $103.20 per year.

In Coulee Dam, water rates are rising $3 a month for “debt service assessment,” City Clerk Stefani Bowden said.

That extra $3 will bring the minimum monthly water bill  to $57.76.

If the city raised their garbage rates the full 14.9%, it would cost an extra $5.41 a month for a 65 gallon can.

Along with the increase in water rates, the average utility bill would rise by $8.41 a month or $100.92 per year, for an average utility bill total of $171.50. 

Elmer City hasn’t raised any rates yet.

If they choose to raise their garbage rates by the full 14.9%, a 65 gallon can would cost $30.47 a month, an extra $3.95, or $47.40 a year, with the average utility bill then costing $128.07.