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Rates

In Tacoma, residents and businesses pay for five utilities: electricity, water, solid waste, wastewater and surface water. Our department, Environmental Services, provides Tacoma residents and businesses with their wastewater, solid waste, and surface water utilities. 

 

Our partner organization, Tacoma Public Utilities (TPU), provides customers with their power and water services.

 

In an effort to make the payment process as convenient as possible for our customers, we partner with TPU and provide a combined utility bill. We also partner with TPU on payment assistance programs that can help both our low-income residents and residents facing short-term financial hardships. To learn more about these programs, click here.

 

If you have questions about your bill, please contact us. For questions specific to your wastewater, solid waste, or surface water services, call (253) 502-2100. For questions regarding your power or water services, call TPU at (253) 502-8600. 

 

 

Further information regarding your utility rates are outlined in the Tacoma Municipal Code (TMC) Title 12.

  • TMC 12.06 - Tacoma Power Rates
  • TMC 12.08 - Wastewater & Surface Water Rates
  • TMC 12.09 - Solid Waste Rates
  • TMC 12.10 - Tacoma Water Rates

What Do Your Rates Pay For?

Solid Waste

  • Collection of garbage from every home and business in Tacoma
  • Collection of recyclables and yard/food waste from all homes and many businesses in Tacoma
  • Recycling of 27,900 tons of metal, plastics, paper, glass and other materials every year
  • Recycling of 40,000 tons of yard and food waste every year
  • Safe disposal of 350 tons of Household Hazardous Waste every year
  • Neighborhood cleanups; nuisance, code enforcement and blight cleanup
  • Call-2-Haul bulk collection service for residents

Surface Water

  • Protection of Commencement Bay, Puget Sound and tributaries from polluted runoff
  • Operation and maintenance of stormwater structures - including 500 miles of pipes, 22,000-plus catch basins (storm drains), four pump stations and numerous detention ponds/structures - to protect urban areas from flooding
  • Innovative stormwater treatment systems
  • Stormwater system inspections and monitoring
  • Habitat restoration in wetlands, tidelands and uplands

Wastewater

  • Prevention of untreated sewage from flowing to Commencement Bay and freshwater streams
  • Reclamation of billions of gallons of water every year
  • Generation of biogas for energy
  • Manufacture of TAGRO premium gardening projects, including 32,000 cubic yards of TAGRO Mix
  • Operation, maintenance and replacement of the City’s wastewater collection, transmission and treatment systems

Tacoma Power and Tacoma Water Rates

Please visit the Tacoma Power and Tacoma Water web pages for their current rate breakdowns.

Tacoma Power

Tacoma Water

Questions About Your Bill?

Environmental Services

Billing and Technical Services: (253) 502-2100     

  • Solid Waste Management Rates and Landfill Fees
  • Surface Water Management Rates
  • Wastewater Management Rates

Tacoma Public Utilities

Customer Services/Billing: (253) 502-8600

  • Tacoma Power Rates
  • Tacoma Water Rates

Need Help Paying Your Utility Bill?

The five utilities - Solid Waste, Surface Water, Wastewater, Tacoma Power and Tacoma Water - have a number of services to help customers who qualify for help paying their bills. See payment assistance for more information or call (253) 502-8369.

 

How are Environmental Services' Rates Determined?

The City of Tacoma values a close relationship with its citizens. That relationship is essential in creating fair, responsive and cost-effective Environmental Services utility rates and programs. The Environmental Services Commission was created to represent the best interests of our residents and businesses by asking a broad range of representatives to learn about our programs and services, analyze our budget, and help make recommendations on behalf of the community members we serve. The (ESC) reviews and make recommendations to the city council, the city manager, and city staff on wastewater, surface water, and solid waste rates and rate structures, as well as services, policies, and programs developed by the department. The ESC's 15 members, all appointed by the city manager, represent a cross section of Tacoma's residential, business, and regulatory communities. 

  

2021-2022 Environmental Services Commission Rate Revenue Presentation

 

Important Dates:

  • October 6, 2020: City manager presents proposed budget and TPU and Environmental Services rates at City Council Study Session
  • November 17, 2020: ES rates first reading (Ordinances 12.08 and 12.09)
  • November 24, 2020: ES rates second reading (Ordinances 12.08 and 12.09)

Wastewater, Surface Water, and Solid Waste Cost of Service Rate Study

In early 2016, the City of Tacoma Environmental Services Department engaged Raftelis Financial Consultants, Inc. (RFC) to update the financial plan and cost of service rate study for its three utilities: wastewater management, surface water management, and solid waste management. The goal of the study was to ensure that rates are equitable to all customer classes while also providing the ability to recover sufficient revenue to fund the operating and capital expenses of the utilities, thus ensuring financial stability. Rate models for each of the utilities were developed as an important part of the study and have since been improved and continue to provide financial projections and rate proposals contained in this report.

View the 2019-2020 Environmental Services Rate Report.

Utility Rates:
Solid Waste

Surface Water

Wastewater

Power

Water

 

2021-2022 Proposed Rates

 

Payment Assistance

 

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Billing Questions

 

TPU Customer Services

(253) 502-8600

 

Environmental Services

(253) 502-2100