Water & Sewer Service

The Town's utilities rates and regulations are established by the Town Council and set forth in the Cathlamet Municipal Code, CMC Title 13 Public Utilities. For assistance or inquiries related to utility bills, payments, connections, or any other general questions or concerns, please contact our Deputy Clerk at 360-795-3203 x2.

In case of water and sewer emergencies, please call 360-795-3203 x9. It is important to note that Public Works does not maintain regular office hours or handle any utility billing, payment-related issues, or assist with water leaks on the property owner's side of the meter. We recommend calling a plumber to help you find the cause for a potential leak.

NEW CUSTOMERS & ACCOUNTS
New customers are required to complete a Utility Service Application Form and submit the required fees to Town Hall during regular business hours. If the service at your new home has been turned off by the previous owner, a $30 fee is required to turn the service back on. A refundable deposit is required for all new accounts.

NEW CONNECTIONS TO SERVICE
To establish a new connection to water or sewer service, complete the Utility Connection Application Form and submit the required fees to Town Hall, including the new service fee of $100 for water. In-Town connections are: $3,000 for water and $3,000 for sewer. Out-of-Town connections are: $5,000 for water and $5,000 for sewer. For out-of-town service on the Boege Road Sewer Extension, an additional fee of $3,000 applies.

Or download printable forms here. 

UTILITY DEPOSITS
The town shall charge the following deposit fees for setting up each utility account: For each water-only account: $100.00; For each water-sewer account: $200.00. The deposit fee will be refunded after one year of timely payment of utility bills paid in full to the town, with the refund automatically issued as an account credit; or refunded upon account closure.

POLICIES & PROCEDURES
The Town's utilities rates, policies and procedures are established by the Town Council and set forth in the Cathlamet Municipal Code Title 13. For assistance or general inquiries about utilities and services, please contact Town Hall staff during regular business hours. NOTE: Public Works staff do not handle payments or billing for utility services.

RESPONSIBILITY FOR BILLING
All utility bills, including water and sewer billings, shall be the responsibility of the property owner for purposes of liens which may be assessed by the town of Cathlamet as provided in this chapter. However, utility billings may be sent to the tenants or residents of commercial or residential property under the following conditions: (1) A deposit has been made by the tenant (CMC 13.15.040), a current address of the owner of real property is maintained with the town of Cathlamet, which is the responsibility of the owner, and any changes in the residents or tenants of the property are made known to the town by the owner. (2) Such billing, once sent to the tenant or agent, will become the responsibility of the tenant or agent as well as the property owner, and each can be held jointly and severally liable for such billing.

DUE DATE
Utility bills are due by 8:00 am on the 5th of each month, unless the 5th falls on a weekend or legal state holiday then they are due the following business day.

PAY MY BILL
You can pay online or over the phone with Xpress Bill Pay by visit www.xpressbillpay.com or calling 1-877-265-5866 between 7am and 4pm on weekdays or 8am to 3pm on Saturdays.

Alternatively, you may mail or drop off payments at Town Hall, 375 2nd Street, Cathlamet, WA 98612, or call 360-795-3203 x2 during regular business hours which are Monday through Thursday 8:30 am to 12:30 pm and 1:00 pm to 4:30 pm.

To learn more about Xpress Bill Pay, click here. Please note: Doxo is not affiliated with the Town. Customers are advised not to make payments through this service as Doxo charges a service fee and payments do not always arrive on time.

LATE FEES & TERMINATION OF SERVICE
All utility bills are due and payable in full on the fifth (5th) day of the month for the prior months usage, approximately one month after the closing date reflected on the billing. (For example, usage for the month of January is billed on February 6th and then due March 5th.) If the fifth falls on a weekend or a legal holiday recognized by the town, charges are due and payable the following business day. If payment is not received in a timely manner, the unpaid bill shall become delinquent and a termination notice shall be given, informing the customer that termination of service shall occur no sooner than 10 days from the date of mailing of the notice of termination of service.

Payments received after the 5th of the month are considered late. Water service may be terminated when any portion of the utility bill is unpaid and delinquent. A late charge shall be levied against any customer who becomes delinquent, which shall be not less than $30.00. If your service is terminated for nonpayment, your account will be subject to a turn-off fee of $30.00 and a turn-on fee of $30.00.

NOTE: Failure of customer to receive a billing mailed by the Town does not prevent assessment of a late penalty. Bills are usually sent out no later than the 8th of the month and payments are always due on the 5th of the next month. If you have not received your utility statement by the 15th of the month, please contact town staff or view your billing statement online at Xpress Bill Pay.

RESPONSIBILITY FOR BILLING
All utility bills, including water and sewer billings, shall be the responsibility of the property owner for purposes of liens which may be assessed by the town of Cathlamet as provided in this chapter. However, utility billings may be sent to the tenants or residents of commercial or residential property under the following conditions: (1) A deposit has been made by the tenant (CMC 13.15.040), a current address of the owner of real property is maintained with the town of Cathlamet, which is the responsibility of the owner, and any changes in the residents or tenants of the property are made known to the town by the owner. (2) Such billing, once sent to the tenant or agent, will become the responsibility of the tenant or agent as well as the property owner, and each can be held jointly and severally liable for such billing.

Unless a utility is abandoned under CMC 13.10.040, the minimum monthly charges for all services will apply for each utility.

Utility Rates were recently updated by Ordinance 662-22. The amount billed will include a 6% tax calculated on gross revenue of the water utility. Click here to view the Town-Limits Map. 

Water Rates:
The minimum monthly charge for water service is based on your meter size and includes usage up to 350 cubic feet/month, plus excess any usage.

Sewer Rates:
Monthly Minimum Base Charge: $ 85.00 per month, multiplied by each unit set forth in (a) below, plus the Sewer Volume Charge: $ 0.20 per 1 cubic foot or part thereof (based on the winter-average water consumption set forth in (b) below). (e.g. the monthly sewer bill for a single-family dwelling with a winter-average of 600 cf or less shall be $85.00; or $105.00 for 700 cf winter-average.)
     a) Monthly minimum base charge: shall be applied as one unit per month for all sewer accounts; except for accounts classified as:
          i. “Multiple-family (multifamily) dwelling”, then the minimum monthly charge shall apply for each residential unit being billed on the same water meter account. (e.g. an account with 3 residential units shall have 3 base charges per month.)
          ii. “Multiple-residential/commercial unit”, then the minimum monthly charge shall apply for the first commercial unit and for each residential unit being billed on the same water meter account. (e.g. an account with 2 commercial units and 3 residential units shall have 4 base charges per month.)
     b) Sewer Volume Charge: There is hereby imposed upon all premises for which the Town provides sewer services and on which water is consumed, a sewer volume charge for sewer services which
shall be added to the established monthly minimum charge and billed as a combined flat rate charge for sewer service each month of the following fiscal year. The sewer volume charge shall be calculated by multiplying the sewer volume charge by the winter-average calculated based on the measured volume of water from all sources consumed on the premises. It is the intent of this section to calculate sewer volume charges based on water that should enter the sewerage system, and not on water used exclusively for irrigation or sprinkling.

Sewer winter-averages for the following user classes and/or specific accounts shall be calculated in the following manner:
     1) Standard winter-average: based on the average of metered water consumption, excluding the first 600 cf, during a consecutive three-month period, after December 1st and before March 1st.
     2) Special winter-average: The following accounts and/or user classifications shall have a winter-usage established as follows:
          (a) “Multiple-family (multifamily) dwelling”: based on the average of metered water consumption, excluding the first 600 cf per each residential unit, during a consecutive three-month period after December 1st and before March 1st. (e.g. an account with 3 residential units shall have the first 1,800 cf excluded.)
          (b) “Multiple-residential/commercial unit”: based on the average of metered water consumption, excluding the first 600 cf per each residential unit, during a consecutive three-month period after December 1st and before March 1st. (e.g. an account with 2 commercial units and 3 residential units shall have the first
1,800 cf excluded.)

New Connections/Hook-Up Fees, plus actual labor & materials for installations:

Other fees that may apply to utilities, include:

ABANDONED CONNECTIONS.
(1) Any connection to any utility governed by this title shall expire one year from the date of approval unless: (a) It has been activated and is a currently maintained utility account with the town; or (b) Was issued in conjunction with a building permit that is still active and valid under the provision of CMC Title 15. (2) If an active utility account is not kept current under the town’s utility billing practices for a period of one year, it shall be considered abandoned and any system capacity attributed to such a connection shall revert to the town. Once a utility connection is deemed abandoned the new connection to service fee will be required to reestablish service.

How much water do I use?
Boege Road Sewer Extension Map
Cathlamet Town Limits Map

Call 811 or request a utility locate online at https://call811.com/811-In-Your-State at least 2 full business days before digging.

For water and sewer emergencies, call 360-795-3203 x9.

If you are selling your home or moving out, you will need to request a final billing to close out your account.

To submit an online request form for a final utility bill, click here; or to download a printable form, click here.

Pursuant to RCW 60.80.020, ". . . the seller shall, as a provision in a written agreement for the purchase and sale of real estate, inform the closing agent for the sale of the names and addresses of all utilities, including special districts, providing service to the property under chapter 35.21, 35.67, 36.36, 36.89, 36.94, or 57.08 RCW. The provision of the information in a written agreement for the purchase and sale of real estate constitutes a written request to the closing agent to administer disbursement of closing funds necessary to satisfy unpaid charges."

Public Works cannot assist with water leaks on the property owner's side of the meter. We recommend calling a plumber to help you find the cause for a potential leak. For any other water or sewer emergencies, please call 360-795-3203 x9.

TIPS TO CHECK FOR A WATER LEAK:
Turn off all water inside and outside your home. Notate the reading on your meter dial. Wait a few minutes, up to 1 hour, If the meter reading has changed at all, you probably have a leak.

• Identify toilet leaks by placing a few drops of food coloring in the toilet tank. If any color shows up in the bowl after 15 minutes, you have a leak.
• Check your toilet flapper periodically to make sure it is functioning properly.
• For a leaky garden hose, replace the nylon or rubber washer and ensure a tight connection to the spigot.
• Repair broken or missing sprinkler heads, a main cause of wasteful water runoff.
• Contact a licensed plumber to inspect your home for leaks and broken pipes to determine the exact location of the leak and to repair it as soon as possible.
• Any issues located between the water meter and the building being furnished by the water, are the responsibility of the home or property owner to both find and repair the leak. Our Public Works Department is not authorized to perform repairs or find leaks on your property. We apologize for any inconvenience.

Check how much water you use with this online tool.

WATER LEAK ADJUSTMENTS:
Please read the information below, prior to submitting a water leak adjustment form which can be download by clicking here.  
Utility customers are allowed an adjustment to their water utility bill due to undetected leaks. If the applicant states that there was a faulty pipe and/or fixture on the customer’s premises which caused a large consumption of water, the existence of a faulty pipe and/or fixture shall be verified by inspection by public works employees, and/or by documentary and/or photographic proof supplied by the customer.

If it is established by inspection or documentation that such faulty pipe and/or fixture has been repaired, a reduction of the bill for a single billing cycle to an amount that is the average of the same three months of the prior year’s billings shall be made, the amount not to exceed $300.00 in any case.

The reduction provided for in this section shall not be allowed if such excess water consumption is due to a customer’s neglect or continued failure to repair the faulty pipe and/or fixture. 

Such a reduction in billing shall be permitted only two times in any calendar decade for any property (two reductions per decade per metered account, regardless of the customer responsible for the account). Each calendar decade shall begin January 1st of the year ending in zero and end December 31st of the year ending in nine (for example, January 1, 2010, through December 31, 2019; January 1, 2020, through December 31, 2029; and so on), with the date of each reduction based upon the date the application is received by the town.

TIPS TO PREVENT FROZEN WATER LINES:
The best way to prevent water pipes from freezing is to take steps before temperatures drop below freezing.

• Locate your home’s water shut-off valve and make sure it works, before it's ever needed in an emergency. 
• Be sure to disconnect all garden hoses and shut off and drain water from pipes leading to outside faucets.
• Seal leaks around pipes that allow cold air to seep inside and protect outside faucets and hose bibs with insulation, and don't forget to also insulate pipes near outer walls, in crawl spaces, basements, garages and/or attics.
• Drain and shut off the water systems when vacationing, with the exception of indoor sprinkler systems.

Please remember that you are responsible for protecting and repairing water pipes on your property should any breaks occur. If you turn on your faucets and nothing comes out, leave the faucets turned on and call a plumber. NEVER try to thaw a frozen pipe with an open flame.

During freezing conditions:
Allow a trickle of water to drip at night from an indoor faucet, preferably one located along an exterior wall and/or farthest from where your water service connects with the main water line. Open cupboard doors under sinks in kitchens and bathrooms to allow more heat to reach water pipes.

Without water and suspect a problem is at the meter? Please call the Public Works Emergency line at 360-795-3203 x9.

Utility bills are due in full on the 5th of each month. If you do not have a payment plan in place, you will immediately start being assessed late fees for any past due balance owed and be subject to termination. 

If you are experiencing hardship as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, you may be eligible for support, including payment arrangements. Staff are available by phone, Monday through Thursday from 8:30 am – 12:30 pm & 1:00 pm – 4:30 pm.

Need Additional Assistance? The following agencies/programs may be able to help:

WASHINGTON STATE DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE: LIHWAP (Low Income Household Water Assistance Program) provides funds to assist low-income households with water and wastewater bills that are disconnected or are in imminent threat of disconnection.

LOWER COLUMBIA COMMUNITY ACTION PROGRAM: LIHEAP (Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program) is a federally funded program that assists low-income households in making home heating more affordable, avoid shutoff of utility services during the winter months, and maintain a warm, safe, and healthy environment for their families. Clients must meet income eligibility guidelines to qualify. CAP may offer additional services such as Home Energy Assessments, housing, senior services, Meals on Wheels and more.

WAHKIAKUM PUD RESIDENTIAL ENERGY ASSISTANCE PROGRAM (REAP): Wahkiakum Community Outreach serves Wahkiakum County and administers Wahkiakum PUD’s Residential Energy Assistance Program (REAP) as well as other sources of utility assistance, housing/rental assistance, emergency housing, food/ clothing assistance, referrals, qualification of Wahkiakum PUD’s Senior and/or Disabled Citizen Discount Program and more.
 
VETERANS OF FOREIGN WARS (VFW) ASSISTANCE:  Wahkiakum Post 5297 of the VFW may be able to assist with resources such as utility and food assistance.

WASHINGTON 2-1-1: 2-1-1 is a free confidential community service and your one-stop connection to the local services you need, from utility assistance, food, housing, health, childcare, after school programs, elder care, crisis intervention and much more. 2-1-1 is always ready to assist you in finding the help you need.

KINSHIP CAREGIVER SUPPORT PROGRAM: Local assistance may be available for a family member caring for a relative’s child(ren) in Wahkiakum County. Assistance may include rent, utility, bedding, furniture, clothing, school supplies, instrument rentals, gas and bus vouchers, car repairs, tutoring, food, and interpreter services.