Following a work session on Monday, March 16, the Waterloo City Council approved a resolution during its regular council meeting on Thursday, March 19, implementing new water rates.
Residents currently pay a $47 base fee that includes 2,500 gallons of water a month, with a tiered structure as follows:
Tier 1 – 2,501-5,000 gallons = 2 cents per gallon
Tier 2 – 5,001-7,500 gallons = 2.5 cents per gallon
Tier 3 – 30,000 gallons or more = 4 cents per gallon
During water restrictions, the tier structure – in addition to the $47 base fee – would follow:
Tier 1 – 2,501-5,000 gallons = 2 cents per gallon
Tier 2 – 5,001-7,500 gallons = 4 cents per gallon
Tier 3 – 7,500 gallons or more = 9 cents per gallon
Mayor Brian Lewis explained there is no money from the Oregon Water Resources Department this year to pay for trucking-in Lebanon water during the water restriction season.
The council continues to work toward drilling Well 6, ideally to happen this year, but there’s no guarantee it will happen or no guarantee what it will produce, he said.
“So we did a discussion on what our water rates would be in order to keep supplying water to Sodaville,” Lewis said.
The newly adopted rates will “establish a year-round tiered rate structure,” he said.
Meaning, there will no longer be higher rates during water restriction seasons.
The resolution explains the council believes the new tier structure “will encourage responsible water usage and reduce the need for seasonal water restrictions,” and will help with cost recovery.
“We don’t know the reasons why (some people are) using that much water and we’re not here to judge anyone,” City Recorder/Administrator Molly McGuire said. “We just need to make sure that we, as a city, can be sustainable and afford trucking in water at a rate that is completely affordable to the city but not reliable … We’re hoping that this will cover any of those indifferences throughout the years.”
Effective April 1, the new rates – in addition to the $47 base fee – will be as follows:
Tier 1 – 2,500-5,000 gallons = 4 cents per gallon
Tier 2 – 5,001-7,500 gallons = 5 cents per gallon
Tier 3 – 7,501-10,000 gallons = 9 cents per gallon
Tier 4 – 10,001 or more gallons = 11 cents per gallon
In other business:
- Ray Jackman announced Rick Ally would like to donate a few concrete park benches to the city.
- Public Works Director J D Burns reported about 380,000 gallons of water was consumed last month, “which is one of the lowest usages I’ve seen since I’ve been here,” indicating people are conserving more water.
- Burns reported wells 1 and 3 are each producing about 6,000 gallons a day, and Well 4 is “picking up whatever the difference is that’s needed,” while Well 5 is “just puttin’ along.”
- Burns reported he, with Councilor Roger Perry’s help, removed moss-covered plastic tiles from the park’s playground and pressure-washed the concrete.
- The council adopted a resolution adopting Linn County’s 2025 Natural Hazard Mitigation Plan, which identifies natural hazard vulnerabilities and outlines mitigation strategies. Adopting the plan makes the city eligible for certain federal mitigation funding programs.
- Perry told the board he is in talks with someone who might help the city get a set of stairs at the park’s lower parking lot to the restroom. He also intends to paint the old store building this summer.
- Lewis said he used to be on the city’s Citizens Committee, during which time he would ask residents to help out around town. He mentioned it might be of interest to resurrect this type of ambassador program again.