Proposed Wastewater Rate Structure 2020

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Consultation has concluded.  You can view more information about the new wastewater rate structure on our main website.

Aerial view of the Wastewater Treatment Plant

Following the acquisition of Missoula Water and creation of the Storm Water Utility, the City explored the ability to combine Sewer Use Fees (also called Wastewater Fees) into one monthly utility bill to improve efficiency and reduce administrative costs. Sewer Use Fees are currently billed twice a year for residential customers and quarterly for commercial customers. In order for Sewer Use Fees to be included on the combined monthly utility bill, a change in the wastewater rate structure is needed to make it compatible with the utility billing system software. The new combined billing will take effect January 1, 2021, with customers receiving their first combined bill in February.

The proposed rate structure will allow for all accounts to be billed using a base rate and volume rate based on water consumption. Water consumption for residential customers will be calculated using the customer’s wintertime average: October through March. All other customer classifications will use monthly water meter consumption totals. Wastewater customers who are not Missoula Water customers, or are water customers but do not have a meter, will be billed at the flat rate. A new classification, Mixed Use with Food Service, will be included.

Example single-family housing unit monthly charge at average usage rate—Base Rate + (Volume of Water Used × Volume Rate):

$14.00 + (5.3 CCFs × $0.18) = $14.95 per month

The average residential winter water usage rate is 5.3 CCFs (1 CCF equals 748 gallons) per month, so smaller, single-family households will likely see a slightly lower monthly charge than what they currently pay, which is about $15.05 per month.

For more information, see the project consultant's slideshow presentation, which was presented to City Council on June 3, 2020.


Following the acquisition of Missoula Water and creation of the Storm Water Utility, the City explored the ability to combine Sewer Use Fees (also called Wastewater Fees) into one monthly utility bill to improve efficiency and reduce administrative costs. Sewer Use Fees are currently billed twice a year for residential customers and quarterly for commercial customers. In order for Sewer Use Fees to be included on the combined monthly utility bill, a change in the wastewater rate structure is needed to make it compatible with the utility billing system software. The new combined billing will take effect January 1, 2021, with customers receiving their first combined bill in February.

The proposed rate structure will allow for all accounts to be billed using a base rate and volume rate based on water consumption. Water consumption for residential customers will be calculated using the customer’s wintertime average: October through March. All other customer classifications will use monthly water meter consumption totals. Wastewater customers who are not Missoula Water customers, or are water customers but do not have a meter, will be billed at the flat rate. A new classification, Mixed Use with Food Service, will be included.

Example single-family housing unit monthly charge at average usage rate—Base Rate + (Volume of Water Used × Volume Rate):

$14.00 + (5.3 CCFs × $0.18) = $14.95 per month

The average residential winter water usage rate is 5.3 CCFs (1 CCF equals 748 gallons) per month, so smaller, single-family households will likely see a slightly lower monthly charge than what they currently pay, which is about $15.05 per month.

For more information, see the project consultant's slideshow presentation, which was presented to City Council on June 3, 2020.


Consultation has concluded.  You can view more information about the new wastewater rate structure on our main website.

  • Wastewater Rate Structure Approved

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    Missoula City Council approved the new wastewater rate structure on July 20, 2020, following a public hearing. The new rate structure will go into effect on January 1, 2021, with the monthly wastewater charges appearing on customers’ February 2021 combined utility bill. No “sewer” bills will be mailed out on January 1 as they previously had been; customers will now receive only one utility bill each month that includes these charges. More information is available on our main website.