Lower sewer rates will affect some mobile home parks

Sewer rates for some mobile home parks will be cut significantly under rules approved Tuesday by the Spokane County Commission.

Unlike most homes and businesses, state law says, mobile home parks cannot be forced to hook up to sewers when lines are constructed nearby. Still, parks adjacent to sewers have been charged sewer fees by the county even if they remained on separate septic systems.

Under the new rules, one-time fees to purchase capacity at the sewage treatment plant will be dropped. That cost is about $1,100 for each manufactured home. However, parks still will be charged about $2,000 per mobile home for the cost to install local sewer lines.

Bruce Rawls, the county’s utilities director, said manufactured home parks benefit by having sewers nearby, even if they don’t use them. That’s because the lines will be available when septic systems fail.

County leaders were spurred to action after Rep. Lynn Schindler, R-Otis Orchards, introduced a bill that would have eliminated all sewer fees for mobile home parks not connected to sewers. The bill did not become law.

County leaders called Tuesday’s action a good compromise.

“We’re really trying to strike that balance,” Rawls said.

Spokane County has about 30,000 sewer customers north and east of Spokane, including the city of Spokane Valley. The rules affect between 10 and 15 manufactured home parks on septic systems that are adjacent to sewers or soon will be, Rawls said.

Commissioner Mark Richard said that the decision could bring some relief to people in the parks who have fixed incomes.

“If they’re not using the system, why are we attempting to charge them?” Richard asked.

Also Tuesday, commissioners approved a new sewer billing cycle that affects all customers. Charges were previously due 30 days from receipt. Starting in June bills will be sent in the first week of each month and due on the 25th.

Rawls’ department has been busy collecting from delinquent sewer users. Commissioners recently created an amnesty program in hopes of persuading the more than 3,000 people delinquent in their sewer bills to pay up. At last count, the county was owed more than $1.5 million from those customers, Rawls said Tuesday.

Under the amnesty program, folks have until June 26 to at least begin making payments before they are given a 10 percent penalty each month on outstanding balances plus 8 percent interest each year from the original due date.