Swales with a gentle slope (less than 4% average) are the most effective at treating stormwater. The maximum slope must be less than 6%. Facility storage depth may range from 2 to 12 inches. A freeboard (6 to 12 inches) may be required if the adjacent area would be damaged by flooding. Maximum side slopes are 3 horizontal to 1 vertical; slopes and depths should be minimized to the extent practical for aesthetic and safety reasons.
The Sandy City Council always welcomes comments and feedback from residents. City Council meetings are open to the public, and each meeting includes a public comment period where anyone can address the Council (typically for 3 minutes each). Meeting information is available at https://sandy.civicweb.net/portal/. If you have a letter or email you would like to be considered by the Council at one of its meetings, send it to
In addition to the monthly fee increases, new commercial and residential development projects will pay their fair share for the required sewer investments. System Development Charges, which are paid by new development, were increased from $1,834 to $4,889 for each new home in 2020, and are proposed to increase to $5,157 in 2021. View the Wastewater System Improvements page.
It is important to know that per state law, wastewater rate revenue must only be used on the city’s wastewater utility. The revenue raised by the wastewater rate increase will be used to pay for the principal and interest on loans and special financing for the wastewater system improvements. The city is financially audited on an annual basis to ensure laws are followed and dollars are spent legally and appropriately. View the publicly available audit results.
There is a great deal of information on the reasons wastewater rates had to be increased, how Sandy’s rates compare to other area cities, and the required improvement projects currently underway available on the project overview page.
The City Council approved an assistance program to help lower-income individuals afford their utility bills. Those who meet the income threshold can have the wastewater portion of their bills reduced by 50%. For more information, visit the customer assistance program page.
While monthly utility bills include a base charge, much of the bill is calculated based on individual consumption. During the COVID-19 response, many local residents have been spending more time working or learning at home, which has increased water and sewer usage for most households.
In the past, Sandy had some of the lowest wastewater rates in our area. In fact, in many years over the past decade, billing rates did not increase at all even though system costs continued to rise. That meant the City had a lot of ground to make up to make the system's finances sustainable.
With the new increased rates, Sandy is about average relative to other cities in Clackamas County. View a graph comparing monthly charges for a typical single-family household on the Water Systems Improvement page.
Like many other cities, Sandy’s wastewater infrastructure is aging and there is limited funding available to make improvements. Our existing system is no longer able to reliably meet federal and state requirements that protect local streams and rivers, and our growing community is adding additional demand to a system under increasing strain. Oregon’s Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) is requiring the City to address these problems as soon as possible.
