The City of Newport operates a stormwater system and the stormwater collected from is typically piped in developed areas and discharged into the nearest natural water body. Currently, the stormwater utility is run from a joint fund with the Streets Fund. The City is separating the two utilities to ensure that the stormwater utility is self sufficient in the future. In 2017, the City authorized the FCS Group to conduct a utility rate study. At the October 15, 2018 City Council meeting, Council adopted Resolution No. 3803, setting the effective dates of December 1, 2018 for water and sewer rates increase, and July 1, 2019 for the new stormwater fee.
To complete the transition to a self-sufficient utility, and as part of the utility rate study the City restructured the monthly Stormwater rates from a rate per meter to an equivalent service unit (ESU) basis. This change creates a rate structure that is common in the stormwater industry and shifts revenue collection from single family to non-single family, commensurate with associated impervious surface area and therefore, the demand placed on the stormwater system. Under the proposed new rate structure, all non-single family customers are charged based on the total amount of impervious surface area (ISA) onsite.
The average singlefamily residential lot has 2,700 square feet so that is the base. To calculate the total impervious surface area for a non-residential lot, the ISA is divided by the base to get the number of ESUs for that site. This new rate structure will be implemented beginning with the July 2019 utility billing. Sometime during the week of June 10, 2019, a letter outlining the Impervious Surface Area (ISA) and a calculated ESU for your location will arrive in the mail for your review. Further instructions will be included in the letter. Finally, please note…single-residence homes will not receive a letter for this process because they are considered one ESU only. For more information, please e-mail Richelle Burns at r.burns@newportoregon.gov or Mike Murzynsky at m.murzynsky@newportoregon.gov.
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