Water/Sewage Utilities question (Seattle, Sammamish: apartment, leasing, house)

[Sandhillian]

I am new to Washington state and recently received my first water bill. It was an unpleasant shock! My water usage was around $50 for two months and the charge for the water meter was about $20. The bill was for approx. $320 for two months. The other charges (approx. $250) all pertain to sewage and when I called I was told that they are flat charges that will be part of my bi-monthly bill regardless of usage. I have never seen sewage costs this high in any of the states I have lived in. Are sewage charges this high in all cities in Washington or just on Mercer Island?

[swerver]

I was shocked when I moved here too. Mine's more like $150-175 per 2 months, maybe $200-225 if I'm running sprinklers in the summer. Still, in IL I paid about $30 a month. You will most likely pay less for electricity and gas though, so that should even things out a bit.

[jinj]

Mercer Island isn't the cheapest place to live in the county by a long way, that explains some of it.

For the rest and details, see here: City of Mercer Island - Your Water Bill

Cities do tack on charges that having nothing to do with water, such as extra medical services.
They do this because they are guaranteed to get the money, as a water bill stays with the house, not the person who owns it.

[Hemlock140]

Your water rate is actually much less than Seattle, but your bill is much more because of the additional items. In Seattle the Surfacewater charges are collected by King County on the property tax bill. You are also being shafted by the flat $72 sewage treatment charge. If you used very little water and were charged per CCF like most places, it would probably be half that much.
All together though, I'd say Mercer Island is not charging much more than anyone else. My water bill runs under $100/two months for a 3,000 sf house on 1/3 acre, but I end up paying the same when you consider the items on my tax bill that you don't have. In this whole area, electricity is cheaper than most places, but sewer and stormwater are among the highest in the US, largely due to protection of salmon.

[Inkpoe]

Also, you might be paying off the sewer connection fee.

[Sandhillian]

Thanks for the responses. Unfortunately Jinj, I was unable to open the link.

Does anyone know if it is typical for tenants to have to pay these extra charges?

[Inkpoe]

Are you renting a house or an apartment? If a house, then unfortunately yes. Apartment... I guess you could talk to the leasing office, but it sounds like you're being screwed (I/my friends never had to pay that much for an apartment).

[texastrigirl]

Hmmm, our last bill for our house in Sammamish was $185 for a little over two months. I'd say some of that is because you live on "the Island".

[Sandhillian]

Okay, thanks everyone for the responses. Now I know to budget for this!