After being on pause for several years, the Longview City Council has approved an increase to stormwater utility rates. On Thursday night, the council voted to set the new monthly base rate at $19.96 per Equivalent Residential Unit, defined as 3,000 square feet of impervious surface. Most single-family homes will pay the base rate, while duplexes and triplexes will be charged per unit.

The change represents about a 7% increase from the previous $18.65 rate and passed with just Councilmembers Erik Halvorson and Keith Young voting no.

Staff warned that holding off on the adjustment could expose the city to far higher costs if preventive maintenance isn’t completed. They said severe weather could trigger major failures that might leave the city paying hundreds of thousands of dollars for emergency contractor work.