Utility Rates and Other Fees

Water volume

A monthly charge is calculated by multiplying the number of units of water used per the meter reading, by the established water volume rate. (One unit of water equals 748 gallons.)

Water base fee

A monthly charge per account/connection for services not related to volume including meter reading, maintenance, and monitoring, based meter size.

Type of Charge Description Effective 1/1/20 Proposed 1/1/21 Proposed 1/1/22 ​Base charge (by meter size per connection) 5/8 - 3/4 inch meter $11.38 $11.72 $12.07 ​Base charge (by meter size per connection) 1 inch meter $15.41 $15.87 $16.35 ​Base charge (by meter size per connection) 1.5 inch meter $26.69 $27.49 $28.31 ​Base charge (by meter size per connection) 2 inch meter $40.23 $41.44 $42.68 ​Base charge (by meter size per connection) 3 inch meter $76.32 $78.61 $80.97 ​Base charge (by meter size per connection) 4 inch meter $116.93 $120.44 $124.05 ​Base charge (by meter size per connection) 6 inch meter $229.72 $236.61 $243.71 ​Base charge (by meter size per connection) 8 inch meter $793.67 $817.48 $842.00 ​Base charge (by meter size per connection) 10 inch meter $1,244.84 $1,282.19 $1,320.66 Volume rate (by customer class per ccf) Single family residential $2.54 $2.62 $2.70 Volume rate (by customer class per ccf) Multifamily (individually metered) $2.54 $2.62 $2.70 Volume rate (by customer class per ccf) Multifamily (shared meter) $2.14 $2.20 $2.27 Volume rate (by customer class per ccf) Irrigation $3.44 $3.54 $3.65 Volume rate (by customer class per ccf) Commercial (including Fire) $2.24 $2.31 $2.38 Volume rate (by customer class per ccf) Public $2.43 $2.50 $2.58 Volume rate (by customer class per ccf) Institutional $2.08 $2.14 $2.20 Volume rate (by customer class per ccf) Industrial $1.53 $1.58 $1.63 Water fill stations (per 400 gallons) Water fill stations $0.75 $0.75 $0.75

Wastewater volume

Wastewater (sewer) volume is not metered separately for most customers. Wastewater volume units are determined annually using the average water consumption of two to four measurable meter readings taken on or after November 1. The City uses these water meter readings to calculate the wastewater volume assuming that during this time of year customers generally are not irrigating, tending gardens, or washing cars. Once the wastewater volume is determined, customers are billed the same wastewater volume charge each month, even if water usage is different than the wastewater volume amount.

Wastewater base fee

Base rates charged for wastewater collection and treatment are determined by the service area and customer classification and are assessed per wastewater connection.

Type of Charge Description Effective 1/1/20 Proposed 1/1/21 Proposed 1/1/22 Single family residential Base charge (per account) $15.01 $15.46 $15.92 Single family residential Volume (per ccf) $3.60 $3.71 $3.82 Single family residential Without measurable water consumption (wastewater volume at 5 ccf) $33.01 $34.01 $35.02 Single family residential New (without history; wastewater volume at 6 ccf) $36.61 $37.72 $38.84 Single family residential Vacant (wastewater volume at 0.5 ccf) $16.81 $17.32 $17.83 Multifamily Base charge - Duplex (per account) $16.29 $16.78 $17.28 Multifamily Base charge - Triplex (per account) $17.57 $18.10 $18.64          Multifamily Base charge - Fourplex (per account) $18.85 $19.40 $20.00          Multifamily Base charge - Fiveplex (per account) $20.12 $20.72 $21.34 Multifamily Base charge - More than Fiveplex (Add the following to base charge for each unit over five) $1.28 $1.32 $1.36 Commercial/Public Base charge (per account) $22.45 $23.12 $23.81 Commercial/Public Volume (per ccf) $4.94 $5.09 $5.24 Commercial/Public New(Base charge plus volume [ccf] equal to like business) Significant Industrial Users Industrial base charge (per account) $2,012.50 $2,072.88 $2,135.07 Institutional base charge (per account) New or without measurable water consumption (Base charge by units plus wastewater volume at 5 ccf per unit) $1,127.99 $1,161.83 $1,196.68 Significant Industrial Users Flow (per million gallons) $3,400.32 $3,502.33 $3,607.40 Biochemical Oxygen Demand (per 1,000 lbs) Volume (per ccf) $355.89 $366.57 $377.57 Significant Industrial Users Total Suspended Solids (per 1,000 lbs) $253.01 $260.60 $268.42

Stormwater impervious area

The fee is based on the amount of impervious surface at the service address property and the customer classification.

Stormwater base fee

The base fee is charged to all utility accounts regardless of the amount of impervious surface at the service address property. The base charge supports stormwater programs such as dispatch services, street sweeping, account maintenance, and includes the impervious surface area of public streets.

Type of Charge Description Effective 1/1/20 Proposed 1/1/21 Proposed 1/1/22 Base charge (per account) Base charge (per account) $11.09 $11.64 $12.22 Single family residential impervious area fee (based on tier) Tier 1 (less than or equal to 1,330 square feet) $5.32 $5.59 $5.87 Single family residential impervious area fee (based on tier) Tier 2 (greater than 1,330 but less than 2,900 square feet) $6.08 $6.38 $6.70 Single Family Residential impervious area fee (based on tier) Tier 3 (greater than or equal to 2,900 square feet) $6.84 $7.18 $7.54 Impervious Area rate for all other classifications (based on total area) Rate per EDU (3,000 square feet of impervious area) $6.08 $6.38 $6.70

The City of Salem is required to manage a testing program to protect the drinking water system from potential sources of contamination through the installation and testing of backflow prevention assemblies. Oregon Administrative Rule 333-061-070 and Salem Revised Code 72.190 require a backflow prevention assembly be installed on residential and commercial water services that have the potential to contaminate the City’s water system. These assemblies are required to be tested on an annual basis to ensure proper function. The City’s Backflow Prevention Program ensures compliance with local and state code and rules. The backflow prevention fee is charged to all accounts required to have a backflow prevention assembly.

Type of Charge Description Effective 1/1/20 Proposed 1/1/21 Proposed 1/1/22 Base charge (per account)​ Backflow prevention fee $1.50 $1.50 $1.50

The streetlight fee covers the cost to operate, upgrade, and expand the City of Salem’s streetlight system. Streetlight costs include electricity and maintenance of the system, as well as gradual installation of streetlights in neighborhoods where they currently are not in place but are desired by residents.The fee is charged to all accounts and is based on customer classification.

Type of Charge Description Effective 1/1/20 Effective 1/1/21 Single family residential Base charge (per account) $2.80 $2.80 Multifamily 4 units or less Base charge (per account) $2.80 $2.80 Multifamily 5 to 25 Base charge (per account) $10.40 $10.40 Multifamily 26 units or more Base charge (per account) $18.00 $18.00 Irrigation Base charge (per account) $2.80 $2.80 Commercial (less than or equal to 3,000 square feet of impervious area) Base charge (per account) $2.80 $2.80 Commercial (greater than or 3,000 square feet of impervious area) Base charge (per account) $13.50 $13.50 Public Base charge (per account) $13.50 $13.50 Institutional Base charge (per account) $13.50 $13.50 Industrial Base charge (per account) $13.50 $13.50

​The City operations fee is a separate fee to continue existing emergency, library, park maintenance, social, and other essential services. This flat fee is collected through City utility bills based on the type of account, not based on property value.

Type of Charge Description Effective 1/1/20 Effective 1/1/21 Single family residential Base charge (per account) $8.00 $8.00 Multifamily Base charge per unit (per account) $6.40 $6.40 Commercial Base charge (per account) $38.56 $38.56 Public Base charge (per account) $38.56 $38.56 Industrial Base charge (per account) $38.56 $38.56 Institutional Base charge (per account) $38.56 $38.56

Private fire protection

A monthly private fire protection service fee in the amount of $2 per inch of pipe diameter of main connection is applied to accounts inside the Salem city limits that have automatic sprinkler systems, private fire hydrants, and standpipes.

Utility account fees

Other fees listed below may be charged to your utility account as appropriate.

Type of Charge Effective 1/1/20 Proposed 1/1/21 Proposed 1/1/22 Special handling/reprocessing $15.00 $15.00 $15.00 New account activation $25.00 $25.00 $25.00 Suspended account activation $25.00 $25.00 $25.00 Service disconnection for nonpayment $25.00 $25.00 $25.00 Dishonored payment $35.00 $35.00 $35.00 Curb stop key deposit $75.00 $75.00 $75.00 Water meter installation $150.00 $150.00 $150.00 Water meter obstruction, first occurrence $100.00 $100.00 $100.00 Water meter obstruction, each additional occurrence $200.00 $200.00 $200.00 Meter tampering/damage $200.00 $200.00 $200.00 Bypass water meter $200.00 $200.00 $200.00 Water meter removal $250.00 $250.00 $250.00 Damaged/replacement curb stop $300.00 $300.00 $300.00