King County sewer rates will likely stay the same for 2012, if the King County Metropolitan Council adopts a recent proposal by county executive Dow Constantine.

“In these difficult economic times, it makes sense to keep the rate flat,” Constantine said in a press release. “This proposal will allow us to maintain critical infrastructure, support economic growth and promote environmental health without undue burden to ratepayers.”

Under Constantine’s proposal, customers served by King County’s clean-water utility, which includes City of Redmond residents and residents who live in unincorporated King County outside of the city limits, will continue to pay the current rate of $36.10 per month adopted by the county council in 2010.

The rate covers the cost to collect wastewater from the 34 local sewer utilities and treat it at one of King County’s regional treatment plants in Seattle or Renton, and beginning this summer, at the Brightwater plant north of Woodinville.

Annie Kolb-Nelson, who is the media relations specialist for the Wastewater Treatment Division (WTD) of King County, said the county council is likely to adopt the executive’s proposal and required to vote on this proposal before June 30.

The sewer rate, which was $31.90 in 2010, is part of a larger monthly bill that residents receive from their local utilities jurisdiction, which is the City of the Redmond for people who live in the city limits, said Kolb-Nelson.

According to the county website, “under long-term agreements with local sewer agencies in its service area, King County charges each agency a monthly amount for providing wastewater treatment. That amount is based on King County’s monthly sewer rate and the number of customers served by the local agency. In turn, the local agencies bill the residences, businesses and industries in their wastewater collection system to recover the county charge plus the amount needed to operate their local collection systems.”

While the monthly user sewer fee will stay the same under the executive’s proposal, the capacity charge for new sewer hookups will increase by three percent from $50.45 per month in 2011 to $51.95 per month in 2012.

The capacity charge is a “hook up” fee established in 1990 for newly connecting customers to the sewer system that they pay in addition to their monthly sewer bill, Kolb-Nelson said.

She pointed out that the capacity charge to new customers provides funding for the system upgrades and expansions that are required to accommodate growth.

So if you buy a newly built home in 2012, that is not already hooked in to the regional sewer system, you will be expected to pay $51.95 per month for the next 15 years — a lump sum of approximately $9,350 — plus the monthly user fee of $36.10.

But current customers already hooked into the regional sewer system will continue to pay at the rate they locked into when they bought their new home and will not be affected by the proposed 2012 rate, Kolb-Nelson said.

“What is really important to discern is that the capacity charge will not increase for people already paying it,” Kolb-Nelson said. “So, let’s say someone bought a brand new home in 2007 when the capacity charge was $42, they locked in for the 15-year term at that rate. Only people purchasing a brand new property after Jan. 1, 2012, will pay for the new rate.”

Newly connecting customers are directly billed by King County for the capacity charge — and is not part of the monthly utilities bill from the local sewer/water jurisdiction, such as the City of Redmond. The capacity charge can be rolled into a mortgage or can be paid off in a lump sum at any time, Kolb-Nelson said.

For more information or questions, call (206)-684-1280. For frequently asked questions about the county’s sewer rate and capacity charge, visit http://www.kingcounty.gov/environment/wtd/About/Finances/Rate/FAQ.aspx.