(The Center Square) – Spokane’s utility rates expire at the end of 2024, and with new fares coming in their place, the difference might cost residents another $180 annually by 2026.
Utility rates cover water service, the resulting consumption/usage, garbage, wastewater, stormwater and capital. Residents pay for the services under rates that could increase by more than 10% over two years if the city council approves those presented on Monday by Public Works Director Marlene Feist.
That proposal included a 4.88% overall increase in residential bills for 2025, about $7.14 more per month compared to 2024. Feist said those rates would increase by another 5.47% in 2026, tacking on an additional $8.40 monthly compared to 2025.
“About a week or two ago, Snoqualmie had to approve a 42% increase in their garbage rate,” Fiest said, “and their neighbor in North Bend approved a 101% increase, so I’m not suggesting that’s anywhere near reasonable for what we would expect for our citizens, but it’s the pressures that utilities are feeling.”
If approved, Spokane’s new rates would result in a monthly utility bill of roughly $153.41 for the average residential household in 2025 and $161.81 in 2026. Under the current rates, that monthly bill would only reach $146.27.
However, with residents typically using less water during the winter months, that bill will likely decrease. Feist presented data showing that under the proposed rates, the monthly bill during winter months would total around $139.50 for 2025 and $147.13 for 2026.
That monthly invoice under the current rates for winter months results in a bill of $132.26 for the representative household. Notably, none of the data includes electricity, which the city doesn’t provide. The cost would likely surpass this when tying that in, especially in the winter.
“I noted that when Heather Rosentrater was named the head of Avista in the last week, that they mentioned how their rates are supposed to go up by the end of 2025,” Feist said. “Their three-year total represents a 37% increase for electricity alone.”
Overall, if the city council approves the proposed rates, residential utility bills, without electricity, would increase by approximately $184 annually over two years, for a total of roughly $1897 in 2026. That’s an average of about $15.38 more for each bill in 2026 compared to now, or a 10.77% increase.
Feist said the upside is that Public Works is proposing that Spokane double its discounts for residents that use less water as well as for those with disabilities and senior citizens.
The current discount for low-consumption users is $5 monthly, while seniors and disabled individuals can receive a credit of up to $10. If the council approves the doubling, low-consumption users could receive $120 annually, with the latter receiving $240.
Spokane’s city council will vote on whether to adopt the proposed rates during an upcoming legislative meeting.
