Water Environment Services
Help the North Clackamas Watersheds Council to document the plants, birds, insects, and other wildlife that are currently present in and around the soon-to-be restored Kellogg Creek. We will meet at 9:30 in the back parking lot of the Milwaukie Presbyterian Church. Surveys take place from 10 am – Noon, with a celebration and free lunch provided by the Council afterwards!
Volunteers will be gathering data on birds, plants, fungi, amphibians, and whatever else we can find. This is a special opportunity to safely explore this beautiful natural area, which is typically closed to the public. There will be opportunities to learn more about the restoration work in progress at this site, and hopefully see some wildflowers, and observe signs of urban wildlife!
Join the Clackamas River Basin Council for an engaging pub talk exploring the fascinating world of unconventional pollinators. Beyond bees and butterflies, we’ll take a closer look at beetles, flies, moths, and more, with a focus on species right here in the Clackamas watershed.
Clackamas Water Environment Services is proud to support events like this that help protect water quality.
Clackamas Water Environment Services’ (WES) budget for the fiscal year (FY) 2025-26 reflects the resources needed to continue delivering essential services for nearly 200,000 residents, businesses, and other key stakeholders within our diverse service area.
Clackamas Water Environment Services produces clean water, protects water quality, and recovers renewable resources. We do this by providing wastewater services, stormwater management, and environmental education. It’s our job to protect public health and support the vitality of our communities, natural environment, and economy.
Be a collaborative partner in building a resilient clean water future where all people benefit, and rivers thrive.
In FY 2025-26, WES’ budgeted revenue comes from:
• Sewer Charges: 68.3%
• Surface Water Charges: 10.5%
• System Development Charges: 11.6%
• All Other Revenues: 9.6% 
WES is 100% funded by our customers. Monthly sewer and surface water rates, along with system development charges (SDCs) for new connections, fund the cost of operating, maintaining, and building WES’ systems.
WES sets rates carefully to:
FY 2025-26 rate increases support growing operating and maintenance costs and provide funding for capital projects necessary to maintain safe, reliable infrastructure.
Proposed rate increases average $1.25 per month, or $15.00 annually, for most residential customers.
Even with these necessary increases, WES’ monthly rates for wastewater and surface water remain below the average rates in the surrounding area.
Wastewater*
Surface Water
Total Monthly Bill
*Wastewater rate reflects Rate Zone 2 retail rate, which includes wastewater treatment, local collection, and legacy debt rate components
**Area Average rates reflect rates as of January 1, 2025
Budgeted expenditures include investments in capital infrastructure, operating costs, debt service, and other expenses.
Breakdown of Expenditures
The most significant annual expense for WES is infrastructure spending through the Capital Improvement Plan (CIP). The budget funds 25 distinct wastewater and stormwater capital projects, and 11 recurring capital programs that ensure service reliability and support future growth.
Key projects funded by the FY 2025-26 budget include:
Intertie 2 Pump Station Expansion and Force Main Project
Tri-City Water Resource Recovery Facility Outfall Project
Three Creeks Water Quality Project
Operating costs consist of all budgeted expenses incurred to provide sewer and surface water management services to meet customer needs and maintain WES’ treatment and collection systems.
The budget funds a dedicated staff of 121 full-time positions to ensure our critical facilities operate around the clock to protect public health and the environment.
WES uses long-term financing to spread the cost of major capital projects over time, helping to keep rates predictable and affordable.
Strong financial management has earned WES a AAA credit rating, the highest rating available.
Other Expenses include special payments for city right-of-way (ROW) fees, good neighbor agreements, and a required federal arbitrage rebate payment.
WES’ Budget Committee will meet on May 27, 2025 to review the proposed budget. The Board will consider WES’ budget and rates for adoption in June. Visit www.clackamas.us/budget for additional details.
Clackamas Water Environment Services
150 Beavercreek Rd. #430
Oregon City, OR 97045
www.clackamas.us/wes
Clackamas Area Interceptor Improvements Project (CAIIP) includes 5 miles of pipe and capacity upgrades which are needed at varying timeframes
Map showing the path of the entire interceptor project
Map showing the Middle Interceptor route, primarily down Highway 212
Diagram of the force main connection near Camp Withycombe
Diagram of the force main connection for the Clackamas Industrial Area
Diagram illustrating two-lane and median closure
Diagram illustrating two-lane and median closure
Bids will be based on this information; Contractor can negotiate other arrangements with individual property owners once under contract
Entrance to Fred Meyer
Map showing locations of Camp Withycombe, North Clackamas School District, and Fred Meyer
Geotechnical Data Report in Appendix includes groundwater information
Approximate depth of trench: 14' - 28'
Diagram illustrating new interceptor and existing interceptor to be abandoned
The Backyard Habitat Certification Program would like to invite you to a special event, The Backyard Habitat Happy Valley Garden Tour! Several Backyard Habitat participants are graciously opening their yards in the Happy Valley and Oatfield neighborhoods for guests to observe the benefits of integrating native plants, wildlife habitat, and stormwater management into our yards to support wildlife and build resilient gardens.
Join The Wetlands Conservancy for a day of native shrub plantings at Hearthwood Wetland in Clackamas County. This dense hardwood wetland is at the headwaters of Kellogg Creek and provides crucial buffering between I-205 and the communities of Johnson Lake. We’ll help to bolster the soil and promote water filtration by adding native plants to the sensitive edge space. Hearthwood is home to small woodland mammals, songbirds and raptor birds, amphibians, fish and more. This event is free and family friendly. All tools and light snacks are provided.
System Development Charges (SDCs) are one-time fees charged to new developments or changes to existing developments that increase demand, i.e., the use of a public wastewater and/or surface water system. SDCs provide dedicated funding for capacity-enhancing capital projects to ensure that new developments and changes in use contribute their fair share toward the costs of expanding and upgrading WES’ infrastructure. The charges are solely used to fund WES’ capital improvements or qualifying debt service payments.
SDCs are governed by Oregon state law (ORS 223.297-223.314). These statutes provide a uniform framework that ensures charges are assessed in a fair and equitable manner, and used solely for capital improvements.
State statutes specify the guidelines for calculating and modifying SDCs that WES and other organizations must follow, as well as accounting requirements for tracking revenues.
Components of SDCs
SDCs generally consist of the following components:
The calculation of SDCs involves the following steps:
Reimbursement Fee (Eligible value of existing facilities ÷ Existing and future units served) + Improvement Fee (Eligible cost of planned capacity-increasing capital projects ÷ Future units served) + Compliance Costs =
System Development Charge ($ per unit of capacity, EDU or ESU)
WES’ SDC methodology expresses existing and future system capacity in terms of Equivalent Dwelling Units (EDUs) for wastewater, and Equivalent Service Units (ESUs) for surface water. EDUs and ESUs are units of measurement assumed to be equivalent to the usage of an average single-family residential dwelling unit (EDUs) or parcel (ESUs), as determined by WES Rules and Regulations.
SDCs are assessed to new development, or changes in development that increase system demand, based on the type of development and its estimated impact to the system:
WES’ Rules and Regulations contain tables that specify the EDU and ESU assignments for each type and class of development.
For developments in Happy Valley and unincorporated areas within Rate Zone 2, SDCs are typically collected at the time a building permit is issued. For wholesale city customers served by WES, SDCs are collected as part of each city’s permitting process. The collected fees are then remitted to WES in accordance with the terms outlined in the Intergovernmental Agreements between WES and the respective cities.
State statutes authorize the expenditure of SDCs revenues for the following:
Improvement fee revenues may only be spent on capital expenditures that increase system capacity, including:
Reimbursement fee revenues may be spent on any capital expenditures associated with the system for which the fees are assessed, including principal and interest on related debt.
An annual accounting of SDC revenues, including the total amount collected and the amount spent on each project funded by SDC revenues, is required by statute. WES accounts for wastewater and surface water SDC revenues and expenditures in dedicated funds to ensure compliance and transparency. WES’ Rules and Regulations further require that revenues from reimbursement fees and improvement fees are tracked separately.
SDCs must be established or modified by an ordinance or resolution of WES’ governing body:
WES’ SDC charges are generally indexed annually, in conjunction with the budget process, and based on the Engineering News Record Construction Cost Index.
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