Thank you for your interest in the Wastewater Project! Please check out the Frequently Asked Question below, and if you have any additional questions, call city hall at 503-749-2030. To take a look at a timeline of the recent events in the Wastewater Project, click here.
Q: How much of a rate increase is expected?
A: The rate increase to help pay for the new wastewater project was initially expected to be $150-180 per month, but thanks to the combination of grants and low-interest loans that have been secured, the rate increase is now at just under $36 per month. Note: this does not get rid of the annual inflationary rate increases for water and sewer utilities. You should still plan for smaller utility rate increases each June. These inflationary rate increases are necessary to cover the costs of operations and maintenance. To see the current utility rates, visit our Utility Billing page.
Q: Why can't we just leave the wastewater system as it is?
A: The wastewater system upgrades are mandatory. If we do not upgrade the system, high daily fines by DEQ and EPA will accumulate until the system is upgraded. Upgrading the system is the lower-cost option. Check out the Wastewater Project Timeline for a better understanding of why this is necessary.
Q: Isn't there a cheaper option?
A: We had engineers review this project to figure out which option would be the best one for Aumsville. The three options assessed were sequencing batch reactors (SBRs), aerated lagoons with fixed film, and outsourcing to Salem. Of these three options, SBR was the most affordable long-term solution. See the Wastewater Project Timeline, 2019 for more details on this.
Q: Can't we just use funds from the parks budget?
A: No. The City of Aumsville has dedicated fund accounts, which, by law, can only be used for those expenses. Money in the Street Fund can only be used to cover costs related to streets, money in the Vehicle Replacement Fund can only be used for expenses related to vehicle replacement, and so on. It is against the law to take funds from any of the restricted fund accounts and use them elsewhere.
Q: Aren't my tax dollars already paying for this?
A: No. For every dollar you pay in property taxes, only about 24% goes to the City, and the Police Department receives 100% of that. No tax dollars pay for parks, special projects or programs, art, community events, city hall or public works staff, code enforcement, community development, utilities (water, sewer, stormwater, etc.), or streets. Utilities are enterprise fund operations and must be self-sufficient.