Tacoma City Council approves water rate increase, with first hike taking effect April 1

TACOMA, Wash. -- The Tacoma City Council on Tuesday night approved a water rate increase that will take effect on April 1 and then again on Jan. 1.

"The system average increase is 4%, which is about $1.50 per month increase each year for residential customers inside the city of Tacoma and $1.80 per month each year for residential customers outside the city limits," Tacoma Public Utilities spokesman Chris Gleason said.

TPU said the water rate increase is "driven mainly by the costs to maintain the system, like replacing old pipes, operating the filtration facility and meeting water quality regulations."

The City Council did not vote on the power rate proposal, but approved a resolution that asked the Public Utility Board to not put the entire rate increase into the fixed monthly charge for residential and small commercial customers, but to split the rate increase between the customer charge ($3 instead of $5.75) and the per kilowatt hour charge.

If that is done, the City Council will vote on the proposal at its April 4 meeting.