Municipal Service Fees & Charges
The water fees has three components: (1) Service Charge, (2) Meter Charge and (3) Volume Charge based on consumption. Added together, they make up the total water charge that you see on your statement.
The City of Newberg treats drinking water for distribution to city residents. The collection of these charges are used to pay for the City's water treatment plant and its operations. The collected fees are held in the Water Fund.
SEWER
Sewer charge is based on the average water volume consumption of the winter months (November - February), this is known as "Winter Averaging," and the current monthly service charge. For the months of March through October, the sewer fee is adjusted using the winter average cubic feet (cf) and the current wastewater volume charge per CCF or 100 cubic feet. You may see an increase or decrease in your sewer charges based on your water consumption in the winter months. Read more about winter averaging in the Frequently Asked Questions end of this page.
The City owns and operates a wastewater treatment plant and maintains the sanitary sewer collection systems which consists over 80 miles of various size pipes, some of which are over 100 years old. The City provides wastewater collection and treatment services to residents and commercial establishments within city limits, with the exception of a few outside the city. The collected fees are held in the Wastewater Fund and used for the maintenance and operation of the treatment plant and sewer system. This a two part charge that includes the service charge and a volume based consumption charge.
STORMWATER
Stormwater fee is a monthly flat rate.
This fee is used to pay for operating, maintenance, capital improvements, debt and expenses associated with staying in compliance with storm water regulations. The collected fees are held in the Storm Water Fund. In Newberg, all stormwater is discharged straight to streams. The collection of this fee helps the City improve the stormwater system in order to comply with water quality regulations.
PUBLIC SAFETY FEE
Public safety fee is a monthly flat rate.
Collected fees are held in the Public Safety Fee Fund restricted to fund three Police Officer positions.
COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER FEE
Communications fee is a monthly flat rate.
Also goes to the Public Safety Fee Fund restricted to fund two 9-1-1 center dispatcher positions.
TRANSPORTATION UTILITY FEE
Transportation Utility Fee (TUF) is a monthly flat rate.
Collected fees are held in the Transportation Utility Fee fund which is restricted for the maintenance and repair of city streets. Read more about TUF.
Frequently Asked Questions
The less water you consume, the less your water charges will be.The Billing Department has put together a number of ways to help you reduce your water consumption, check it out! The City also has a Water Efficiency Kit available at no additional cost to Newberg residential households.
The City cannot track the volume of wastewater you discharge from your sinks, washers, showers and toilets. Over the years, the City has come up with a way to account for the volume of wastewater you discharge in a fair and adequate manner. It is called Winter Averaging.
Since the City does not have a way to account for the amount of wastewater you discharge, the City has come up with a fair way to charge for wastewater system use. The assumption for wastewater use is that during the winter months of November through February, your water use is confined to the inside of your residence. All of this water eventually becomes wastewater and goes down the drains to the City wastewater treatment system. During winter months you are not watering your lawn, landscaping or gardening, washing your car, or using increased amounts of water related to warmer weather activities.
The City has devised a way to figure your winter average:
- Add up the water readings for November, December, January, and February
- Divide by four (4), rounding up to the nearest 100 cubic feet.
- Then for the rest of the year, this average value in cubic feet is used as the volume in your wastewater billing calculation.
Capital maintenance, repair and improvement projects are necessary to provide Newberg residents with the best level of service it can with the funds available. To keep up with that level of service, additional funds are needed to:
- Maintain and repair the facilities of the City's water and wastewater treatment plants
- Upgrade inefficient processes to allow for long-term cost savings
- Expand so the City can accommodate for growth
- Cover the increasing costs of electricity and supplies which have increased faster than past municipal rate increases
- Include a small reserve so we do not have to take out debt for small repairs and emergencies
The mailed version of the Municipal Services Statement includes information about water/sewer usage, services charged, water consumption graphic, account information and due dates. Refer to the sample Municipal Services Statement available for download and the end of this page.
For a variety of reasons, the landlord may get the Municipal Services Statement instead of the tenant. Typically, apartments, housing complexes and home parks are served by one water meter, so each resident would not see their respective water / wastewater use. Due to the City's confidentiality policy, the Utility Billing Department cannot divulge information to multifamily tenants served by one water meter. Contact the landlord or property management company to inquire about the water / sewer charges.
Supporting Documents
Municipal Services Statement SAMPLES
Supporting Documents
Municipal Services Statement SAMPLES
