Hermiston residents pay less for their basic utilities than similar users in comparable Eastern Oregon cities. That’s the conclusion of an updated study of utility rates in Hermiston, The Dalles, Pendleton, La Grande, Baker City, and Ontario.
The study, conducted by the city of Hermiston, looks at the Total Utility Burden, or the sum of costs for water, sewer, electricity, and garbage for an average resident in each of the surveyed cities. The current Total Utility Burden for the average residential user in Hermiston is $144 per month, $168 in Baker City, $181 in Ontario, $188 in La Grande, $206 in The Dalles, and $212 in Pendleton.
The recent water and sewer rate increase is part of an overall 16-percent increase slated to take effect for those utilities in increments by July 1, 2015. The study compared current Hermiston rates against current rates in other cities, but also compared Hermiston’s rates once the full 16-percent rate increase is implemented against the current rates of the other cities. The result showed that the Total Utility Burden would still be lower in Hermiston than in any of the other cities.
Mark Morgan, Hermiston’s assistant city manager, said the methodology of the study established an “average” user for each utility service, and then applied those usage figures through the billing structure of each of the cities.
“This approach allows for an apples-to-apples comparison across cities by having a consistent metric,” Morgan said. The monthly averages take into account variations in seasonal billing, as well as tiered rate structures, and fluctuations in seasonal usage, but present a seasonally-smoothed average for an entire year. For more information about the methodology of the study, as well as to see a further breakdown of the results, visit the city of Hermiston website.
