I for one was shocked when I got my bill for this quarter. $269 for three winter months. No broken pipes, no watering the lawn. Just usual showers and clothes washing. And flushing.

For a family of 4, $85 seems a bit high for a water and sewer bill, no?

(Monthly, that is...)

Umm...yes Don, that is high. But if you ride your bike on some of that new infrastructure, maybe you'll feel you're getting a better value.

If water and sewer rate/fee "super" escalation isn't enough, cityhall has no problems stealing capital out of the water and sewer borrowings for things like ditches for residential street bike boulevards, "voter owned" elections, and monies confiscated by the Mayor for handing out in "candy like" fashion and scoring political points (scholarship fund).

One way to fight back is to check into "well points" which might tap underground water supplies on one's property. It's pretty inexpensive technology but treating and piping it into ones house is pretty tricky. Can be used for lawn care and maybe car washing though. Another approach is husbanding water which would go to storm water anyways. I should think the latter would actually fit within cityhall's goal of reducing storm water surges. In fact bioswails would seem less necessary if property owners went to water husbanding techniques. They are somewhat expensive but probably less so than the total societal cost of roof top solar energy supplies (for instance).

Lastly, the water and sewer bureaus really should be franchised away from cityhall and rates regulated by seperately elected commissioners. A lot of capital costs could be pared if construction labor was allowed to be more competitive.

It's a sad commentary that the water and sewer rates in Arizona are lower than Portland's. I hope the rate payers here will soon rebel, and changing our City Council would be a civil way of doing it. Begin with Sam's recall, that would send a message.

"a bit high for a water and sewer bill"

But cheap for a bike path.

"should be franchised away from cityhall and rates regulated by seperately elected commissioners."

Good luck, Randy has a death grip on this cash cow.

This is not about Randy. Its structural.

The Water bureaus has histrically been a cash cow. From gifting of real estate (old Parkrose Water District now Fire training facility - huge property; old city 'blue builiding', now PSU expansion; to Frank Ivancie and the infamous chain saw, they've been raided becasue they can.

Actually it is all about Leonard. He campaigned for PWB after Saltzman could not deal with the issues. Leonard appointed PWB Shaff, who has a cozy relationship with the engineer who helped write the flawed and dishonest EPA regulation we face now in unnecessary added treatment and reservoir covers. It was all about Leonard raising rates to fill political promises of new jobs, working with bond agents to increase our debt to unsustainable levels, bullying anyone who objected, going through the motions and not helping us get an exemption from EPA, the list goes on. He is singlehandedly sinking the ship to show us who's boss...just because today he can. A self acknowledeged narcissist who loves any negative attention, and he'll be out of office collecting his public - paid PERS and pension before it all implodes. Welcome to the new Detroit, with the Richard J. Daley running our city into the ground, bitter because he was not chosen to run for governor.

Dean M.,
Agree.
Also, the people in our community need to know that the unnecessary added treatment will degrade our water with toxic chemicals.

How could anyone with a conscious push this agenda knowing the health of our people will be involved? Radon backing up into our homes, schools, work places.
Just because he can?

This Bull Run Water System and Reservoirs must not be changed in a detrimental way just because Leonard can! He needs to be recalled before we let that happen. We cannot afford to have someone like him who appears to be in a race to get us further into debt and does not care about the health of the community.

Sure doesn't look like the Mayor or the rest of the Council cares either.

"unnecessary added treatment"

Gee whiz, maybe Earl could put on his bowtie and ride over to EPA, Merkley could stop eating hotdogs long enough and Ron could take one weekend away from NYC to do the same - Just ask teh EPA to stop it.

Steve,
Yes it is that simple. If our elected officials would get going it could be done by summer before a new round of more unnecessary rate increases are effective July 1st. Any added treatment to our drinking water IS unnecessary.