On August 15, the Metro Wastewater Management Commission voted to accept the City of Eugene's proposal to charge industries producing large volumes of wastewater 1/3 the equalization fee charged everyone else. (The equalization fee reclaims a portion of past system development costs from new users.) As the proposal had raised many questions, the MWMC authorized a study of systems development charges, to be completed by March, 1997.

Commissioner Ruth Duemler moved that until the study is completed, Hyundai be charged the same fee all ratepayers are charged. If the study demonstrated that lower fees for large users were reasonable, the appropriate refund would be made. The motion was defeated, commissioners Jim Torrey, Jerry Rust, Roger Rutan, and Scott Engstrom voting against, Duemler, Jim Morrisette and Katherine Schact, for. The loss to ratepayers is around $3 million.

However, the problem is more complex according to Neale Hyatt, who bothers to read the regulations and do the math, something neither MWM Commissioners nor Eugene city staff apparently have. The City of Eugene has no authority to amend MWMC's methodology and fees; only MWMC can set or adjust regional fees, and it may do so without involving the City Manager.

The City's proposed fee is based on the argument that big users' "steady state" output is less expensive to handle than residential "peak and trough" usage though charts tracking usage show residential flows as fairly constant 18 hours a day. Staff next claimed that there are dips in morning and evening residential flows that rationalize the 1/3 reduction for large industries.

On September 16th, the Eugene City Council will discuss wastewater charges at their noon meeting.