Reno City Council
Thursday, July 30, 2020
What Happened
City Council held a lengthy meeting focused on sewer system management, including potential consolidation with Washoe County, stormwater utility implementation, and wastewater treatment expansion plans.
Key Decisions
APPROVED — Sewer customer and facility exchange exploration with Washoe County — 4-1 vote — Council authorized staff to study a potential regional consolidation that could simplify how three jurisdictions manage interconnected sewer systems serving 16,000 customers, though final decision requires detailed cost analysis.
APPROVED — Stormwater utility implementation consultant agreement — vote count not recorded — Council directed staff to proceed with $865,500 Aptellus contract to develop stormwater utility fee structure. For average household, this means sewer bills would decrease $3.50/month while adding $8.50/month stormwater fee.
CONTINUED — Sewer rate motion — unanimous approval with concerns — Council approved sewer rate adjustments with automatic cost-of-living escalators, but one member objected that the rate structure lacks transparency and public understanding of what bills actually fund.
CONTINUED — Public-private partnership exploration for effluent reuse — no vote taken — Council directed staff to continue discussions with Reno-Sparks Indian Colony and LDC Advisors about a potential project involving 8 million gallons per day of treated wastewater reuse. Decision deferred pending 90-day development of details and deal terms.
Debated But Not Resolved
Sewer consolidation concerns — Council Member Flansburg opposed trading city customers to county control without guarantees. Council Member Breakfast warned against deals that could burden Reno ratepayers with county debt. Staff will gather financial modeling and facility condition data before final vote.
West Reno septic system expansion — Council Member Breakfast argued city should proactively extend sewer service to Southampton-Hampton Estates 2 and other west Reno areas still on 40-60 year old septic systems, rather than waiting for health crisis. No timeline set.
Sewer cost allocation fairness — Multiple council members questioned whether Ward One residents are paying disproportionately for Stead plant expansion through connection fees. Staff acknowledged inability to break down revenues and costs by individual service area. Finance department to analyze.
Private equity involvement in north valley project — Council Member Breck opposed the public-private partnership due to concerns about investor returns driving development pressure in north valley, conflicting with city infill goals. Others wanted more information before deciding.
Billing error at Calvary Church — Pastor Andrew Poe reported sewer rates jumped 74% (from $146.40 to $254.60 quarterly) with decimal point error on church bill. Staff committed to investigating.
What to Watch
$865,500 — Aptellus stormwater utility consultant contract — funding source not specified
$65,000,000 — Renostead wastewater expansion bond (anticipated) — State Revolving Loan Fund at 1.42% interest
Washoe County consolidation vote — Staff will return with cost-benefit analysis and facility condition reports. Council disagreement on whether Reno residents benefit suggests close vote expected.
Connection fee structure decision — Council must choose between system-wide uniform fees ($8,743 per unit) or area-specific fees ($6,291-$10,444 depending on location). This decision directly affects new home prices and affects whether public-private partnership moves forward.
Stormwater utility vote — August 26 meeting expected to include final approval of consultant agreement and rate structure, pending completion of feasibility analysis.
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