Spokane adopts 2027-28 water and wastewater rates
City of Spokane Water Department, Washington · Meeting date: October 14, 2026 · Published: October 15, 2026
Spokane City Council approved new water, sewer, stormwater and water-wastewater capital rates for 2027 and 2028 on October 14. Council members said affordability had shaped the rate-setting process, but cited inflation, labour and operating costs as unavoidable pressures on utility budgets.
Key points
- Ordinance C36951, setting 2027-28 water utility rates, passed 6-1.
- Ordinance C36952, covering sewer and stormwater utility rates, passed unanimously, 7-0.
- Ordinance C36954, setting water-wastewater annual capital rates, also passed unanimously, 7-0.
- Council discussion described the utility increase as 3.2% and cited the rising costs of labour and providing clean water and other services.
Full report
Spokane City Council has approved the city’s water, sewer, stormwater and water-wastewater capital rate ordinances for 2027 and 2028, completing a key set of utility pricing decisions ahead of the next biennium.
The water-rate ordinance, C36951, passed by a 6-1 vote. The sewer and stormwater rate ordinance, C36952, was approved 7-0, while the water-wastewater annual capital rate ordinance, C36954, also passed unanimously.
The measures amend the city’s utility-rate provisions for the coming two years. The meeting record did not provide the underlying rate schedules, but council discussion put the increase at 3.2%.
Councilmember Zack Zappone said affordability was a central consideration whenever the city increased utility charges. He said he had repeatedly asked what cost-saving steps utilities had taken before turning to rate increases, referring to efficiencies, route changes and other ways to lower costs.
However, Zappone said the city faced an economy of increasing costs that affected employees and operating inputs. “The reality is that we have to make sure that trash is picked up, that people get water, clean water, and the cost of that has all gone up,” he said.
Another council member said the city had chosen not to impose higher rates when utilities came before council two years earlier because of the potential impact on residents. The member credited utility staff with keeping the current increase low, at 3.2%, while pointing to inflation, labour costs and the cost of doing business. The member also said Spokane continued to have some of the lowest water and garbage rates in Washington state.
The rate votes came without public comment or council debate on the individual water and sewer ordinances. C36954 drew the only substantive discussion among the utility measures before being adopted 7-0.
This summary was generated by AI based on the source document and may contain errors.
Source: City Council Legislative Meeting, City of Spokane Water Department