Frequently Asked Questions

If you live in Clackamas County Service District #1, you are billed by Water Environment Services (WES) for sewer, surface water and, where applicable, on-site maintenance services. Your drinking water services are provided by water districts that overlap our service areas. If you live within the limits of one of our city partners — West Linn, Gladstone, Milwaukie, or Oregon City — you may receive one bill for water, surface water and sewer from that city.

• In person or by using the dropbox at:
  Water Environment Services
  150 Beavercreek Road
  Oregon City, OR 97045 map
• Over the phone: 503-742-4567
• Online epay
• Direct debit

Water Environment Services direct bills its single family, commercial, industrial and multi-family customers every month.

Call 503-742-4567 to open and close accounts when you move, or start and stop service online.

The monthly sanitary sewer fee funds ongoing operation and maintenance of the public sewer system.

The cost of building sewer laterals can vary widely. On the low end of the scale, a simple shallow gravity connection to a new house could be as little as $500. Longer, deeper connections from existing houses to the public sewer can be as much as $3,000 to $5,000, including decommissioning a septic tank if necessary.

Because of the wide variation in cost, we always recommend that owners get three bids for connecting their house to the sewer system.

The monthly sanitary sewer fee is based on the cost of operating and maintaining the collection and treatment facilities. Maintenance costs include the repair and replacement of equipment over time. Maintenance costs also include a capital component for the complete replacement of obsolete or worn out equipment. Some maintenance costs are incurred to meet permit requirements for discharge into the receiving streams.

Account balances not paid by due date will be assessed a penalty of 15% per annum. Delinquent balances may be transferred to owner’s property taxes for collection under ORS 454.225. Once a year delinquent balances may be transferred to owner's property taxes for collection under ORS 454.225. These delinquent accounts are certified to the tax assessor for attachment to the property tax statement. There is a $50 fee attached to each certified account. The fee covers the cost of preparing the certification list and the discounts taken on the tax statement.

WES will always accept partial payments on any account. However, lengthy payment plans are not allowed to substitute for the certification of delinquent accounts.

You are responsible for the bill if you are the property owner. Property owners may wish to incorporate the sewer bill with lease agreements or receive deposits to cover a potential delinquent sewer balance.

Once a year, delinquent balances may be transferred to owner's property taxes for collection under ORS 454.225. These delinquent accounts are certified to the tax assessor for attachment to the property tax statement. There is a $50 fee attached to each certified account. The fee covers the cost of preparing the certification list and the discounts taken on the tax statement.