City Council Approves 3.3% Water and Sewer Rate Increase

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

DATE:  April 8, 2022

City Manager Robb Corbett 541-966-0201

Pendleton, Ore. — The Pendleton City Council at its last meeting voted to increase water and sewer rates by 3.34 percent, a figure half the rate of inflation.

City Manager Robb Corbett said the city has opted to have rates automatically adjust each year based on inflation and the cost of operating the system instead of postponing increases and periodically implementing larger rate increases. Those rates are tied to the Construction Cost Index.

Without City Council action, the rates would have increased by a percentage equal to inflation in the Construction Cost Index. For 2021, that rate is 6.67 percent.

“City utility rates are set to automatically increase in amounts equal to inflation as a way to maintain revenue to replace old pipes, pumps, and equipment,” Corbett said.  “It was decided by the City Council to implement a reduced increase to assist residents during a time of high inflation.”

City staff project that the average impact on citizens will be an additional $3.80/month.

In making the decision, City Councilors received utility rate survey information that showed the utility rates in Pendleton ranked 27th lowest out of the 42 cities surveyed.