The city of Renton is preparing for an increase in the King County sewer rate in 2026.

The Renton City Council passed an ordinance at its Sept. 22 meeting to establish the King County metro wastewater pass through rate for 2026.

The monthly sewer rate rate in the interlocal agreement with the King County Wastewater Treatment Division will increase from $58.28 per dwelling to $62.66 per dwelling. The additional charge for multi-family dwellings of more than 750 cubic feet will also increase from $7.77 to $8.35 per 100 cubic feet usage.

The ordinance reads that these rates will become effective with billings on or after Jan. 1, 2026.

Low-income senior citizens and low-income disabled citizens are eligible for subsidies on city sewer charges and nonsubsidized rates for the King County Wastewater charge. Those who qualified before May 31, 2008, are eligible for a 75 percent subsidy, reducing the cost to $8.59 per dwelling, while those who qualified after May 31, 2008, are eligible for a 50 percent subsidy and a reduced cost of $17.17.

Renton code defines a “low-income senior citizen” as a person age 61 or older who resides in a single-family dwelling with a city water account in their name and whose total combined household income does not exceed the annual income threshold for low-income rate eligibility.

A “low-income disabled citizen” is a person qualifying for special parking privileges, or is a blind person, a disabled, handicapped, or incapacitated person as defined under any other existing state or federal program. It also includes a person on home kidney dialysis treatment who resides in a single-family dwelling with a city water account in their name and whose total combined household income does not exceed the annual income threshold for eligibility for low-income rate.

In a proposal presented on March 6, 2025, King County Wastewater Treatment proposed an increase in the forecast previously adopted. The accumulating increases over the next decade forecast the cost of the monthly sewer rate to be $136.68 in 2034, rather than the previously adopted forecast of $118.16 in that year. The proposed forecast also predicted the monthly sewer rate to reach $173.57 in 2045 to keep up with rising costs.

The presentation attributed regulations, asset management and capacity needs for the 7.5 increase in the sewer rate next year.