Pierce County Provides the majority of sewer services to the City of University Place. The City itself does not provide sewer services. However, the City acts as a facilitator in resolving sewer problems throughout the City.

Approximately 1,800 or about 23% of the City's properties are not connected to a municipal sewer system. Many of these properties have on-site septic systems that are failing or approaching failure. To address and fund this problem, the University Place City Council passed Resolution 493 on August 8, 2005. This resolution requests the Pierce County Council to add a 25% surcharge, approximately $5.55 per month, onto the sewer rates in the City. The monies collected from this surcharge would fund a substantial portion of the costs needed to help residents with failing septic systems connect to the sewer system.

This resolution requesting a surcharge is advisory only. The authority to implement the surcharge lies with the Pierce County Council. As of January 2009 the County Council has not acted on our request. County councilmember Terry Lee represents U.P. to the County Council. If you would like to discuss the proposed surcharge with Council Member Lee, you can call his office at (253) 798-6654.


Sewer Services: U.P. Capital Facilities Charge (CFC) Proposal (2005)
Sewer Services Strategy (2004)