The District
The North Lake Recreational Sewer and Water District provides water to approximately 700 users and collects wastewater from over 2,400 users. To provide these services, the District maintains a system of wells, wastewater lift stations, a wastewater treatment plant, and about 150 miles of pipelines.
Residential Rates
Bililings are a flat rate every month and we bill 12 months a year for EVERYONE. Billings go out on the first of every month.
| Sewer Residential Rates | $44/month for sewer per EDU (Equivalent Dwelling Unit) |
| Water Residential Rates |
$35/month in service area outside of Tamarack Resort $49/month within Tamarack Resort* |
Water System C.C.R. Water Quality Reports
What are the Benefits of Increasing Rates?
- Maintain clean, safe, reliable drinking water
- Continued operation of a wastewater collection and treatment system that is safe and reliable
- Prevention of maintenance-related system failures
- Reduced operations costs and environmental
What Do User Rates Pay For?
User rates are used to maintain the water distribution and wastewater collection and treatment systems. These systems have many components that, over time, wear out and need to be replaced. These components include wells, lift stations, fire hydrants, pipelines, and a state-of-the-art membrane bioreactor wastewater treatment plant.
District Finances
The District has two main revenue sources:
- Operating revenue – primarily from user rates
- Capital revenue – from connection fees
These funds are used to pay for the District’s expenses. Replacement expenses have historically been underfunded. Replacement funds are used to replace system components as they age, wear out, or break. Reviewing the components of the water and wastewater systems, “Recommended Baseline” or minimum budgets were estimated to provide for the replacement of components as needed.
District Policy for Accessory Dwelling Units
The district follows the same defines an Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) as a dwelling unit that is either attached to a single-family principal dwelling or located on the same lot and having independence means of access, including but not limited to garage units, mobile homes, recreational vehicles, and trailer homes.
An Accessory Dwelling Unit is subject to all applicable fees and charges established by resolution or ordinance of the District for sewer & water service, including but not limited to, (1) Service Availability Fees for Sewer and/or Water; (2) Sewer and/or Water Line Capacity Fee; (3) Inspection Fees; Operation & Maintenance Fees; (5) Any applicable fees or charges for facilities within a local improvement district; and, each ADU shall pay all costs incurred by the district to install infrastructure and other improvements that the District deems necessary to provide sewer & water service to said ADU. An ADU shall require a separate connection to the District’s sewer & water system.
Resolution 06-13 | District Policy for Accessory Dwelling Units
How We Got Here
The water and sewer rates increased in 2005, 2009 and 2017. These increase were $2, $6 and $4 respectively. Most systems include rate increases every year to account for inflation and increased operational expenses. The lack of regular rate increases has resulted in the need for a large rate increase which took place in April 2021. In addition, the lack of funding for regular system replacements and maintenance has resulted in larger replacement costs.
What Needs to Be Replaced?
Components include wells, lift stations, pipelines. Fortunately, not all these components need to be replaced now. Several components (fire hydrants, pipelines, and manholes) can have phased replacement expenses. Priority pipeline improvements should focus on areas of known sources of infiltration and inflow.
Who is Required to Connect?
- Sample Sewer Permit
- All property owners within the district boundaries are required to connect to sewer and, if applicable, water services when building a house or when placing an RV on their lot. As a recreational Sewer & Water district dry camping is not allowed and this includes tent camping. This is to help the environment and the surrounding area from waste water being wrongly disposed of into the ground and eventually into our streams, rivers and lakes.
- Idaho Statute for Sewer Connections
- North Lake Rules For Sewer Connections
- Once connected to sewer and water services you will be billed 12 months a year, whether your property is an RV-only lot or a summer cabin. We don’t stop billing for anyone unless a situation arises that is deemed necessary. Being a recreational area most of our customers leave in the winter months therefore we are not be able to operate based on the funds we would receive from only those who are here in the winter months and in turn would have to vastly raise our rates.