1. What services does my bi-monthly Oak Lodge Sanitary District bill cover?
Oak Lodge Sanitary District bills for two services – Sanitary Sewer and Surface Water Management services.
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2. Where can I pay my bill?
Service charges can be paid at the Administration Building located at 14611 SE River Road (at the intersection of River Road and Oak Grove Boulevard). Payment is taken at the front desk during business hours (8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday thru Friday except for holidays), or at the payment drop slot located to the left of the front doors of the Administration Building.
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3. Can I pay my bill with my credit or debit card?
Yes. The District accepts credit or debit card payment from cards bearing either the Visa or Mastercard logo. Customers may pay with their card in person at the Administration Office, or call the District at 503-653-1653 and pay over the phone.
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4. How is my sewer bill calculated?
Sanitary sewer charges are calculated in two parts. There is a fixed portion, which is a flat rate for each Equivalent Dwelling Unit (EDU). A single-family residence counts as 1 EDU. A multi-family residential structure is billed 1 EDU for each residential space (e.g. a duplex is billed for 2 EDU). Other uses are billed for EDUs as determined based on a table located in the Oak Lodge Sanitary District Sewer Code. In addition to the fixed portion, each account is billed an amount that is based on the average bi-monthly winter water consumption at that property. We use winter water consumption so that customers are not charged for sewer service on water that is used outside for purposes such as lawn and/or garden irrigation. Each year in July and August, District staff calculates the water consumption for each account based on the previous winter's water consumption. That amount will then be the billing level for water consumption for that property for the next year. OLSD bills in arrears on a bi-monthly basis. Customers receive a bill every other month for the two previous months' service.
Current Wastewater Rates (Effective July 1, 2007): The fixed rate is $16.74 per month per Equivalent Dwelling Unit. Added to this is $1.77 for each ccf (1 ccf = 100 cubic feet or 748 gallons) of average winter water consumption.
Surface Water Management Rate is the same.
Should you have a complaint regarding the amount of the bill, or if you feel that your bill was calculated incorrectly, please contact Oak Lodge Sanitary District at 503-653-1653 as soon as you notice the problem. Staff will be glad to review the water consumption data and other information used to arrive at your billing with you. Forms for your use in requesting account review and/or billing adjustments are available for you to complete. This information will help the staff to review your account and make adjustments to the billing, if necessary.
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5. How is my Surface Water Management bill calculated?
Surface Water Management charges are a flat rate of $6 per month for each single family residence within Oak Lodge Sanitary District. Other uses are billed $6 per month for each 2,500 square feet of impervious surface at their site. Typical impervious surfaces are parking lots and other paved areas, and roof area.
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6. Who is responsible for the Sanitary Sewer and Surface Water Managment charges?
Property owners are responsible for the service charges on property. Oak Lodge Sanitary District service charges are lienable and therefore should be cleared in closing when a property changes hands. Service charges that are not cleared will remain with the property and will be owed by the new property owners. This is the opposite of many utility bills, such as water and power, which are owed by the users, and are not lienable. However, because there is no reasonable way to turn off sanitary sewer service, sewer service providers have no other way to ensure collection. This collection mechanism is part of the Oregon Revised Statutes, and is not unique to Oak Lodge Sanitary District.
In addition, the District certifies delinquent charges to the Clackamas County Property Tax Rolls once a year in June. The owners of those properties that have delinquent charges meeting certain District requirements are notified by letter of the District’s intent to certify the charges each May, and have until June 15 to pay the charges and avoid certification. Certified charges will show up on the next property tax bill for a given property as a special assessment. This is not a tax, but is a method for collecting outstanding service charges against a specific property.
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