Delayed utility conn. fees

AN ACT Relating to delayed utility connection fees for 1
residential construction; and amending RCW 35.92.025.2
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:3
Sec. 1. RCW 35.92.025 and 1985 c 445 s 6 are each amended to 4
read as follows: 5
(1) Cities and towns are authorized to charge property owners 6
seeking to connect to the water or sewerage system of the city or 7
town as a condition to granting the right to so connect, in addition 8
to the cost of such connection, such reasonable connection charge as 9
the legislative body of the city or town shall determine proper in 10
order that such property owners shall bear their equitable share of 11
the cost of such system. The equitable share may include interest 12
charges applied from the date of construction of the water or sewer 13
system until the connection, or for a period not to exceed ten years, 14
at a rate commensurate with the rate of interest applicable to the 15
city or town at the time of construction or major rehabilitation of 16
the water or sewer system, or at the time of installation of the 17
water or sewer lines to which the property owner is seeking to 18
connect but not to exceed ten percent per year: PROVIDED, That the 19
aggregate amount of interest shall not exceed the equitable share of 20
S-3693.1
SENATE BILL 6096
State of Washington 69th Legislature 2026 Regular Session
By Senators Goehner, Bateman, and Nobles
Read first time 01/13/26. Referred to Committee on Housing.
p. 1 SB 6096
the cost of the system allocated to such property owners. Connection 1
charges collected shall be considered revenue of such system.2
(2)(a) Cities and towns collecting connection charges as 3
authorized in subsection (1) of this section must, by 2030, adopt and 4
maintain a system for the deferred collection of connection charges 5
for single-family detached, single-family attached, and multifamily 6
residential construction. The deferral system must include a process 7
by which an applicant for a building permit for a single-family 8
detached, single-family attached, or multifamily residence may 9
request a deferral of the full payment of connection charges. The 10
deferral system offered by a city or town under this subsection must 11
include one or more of the following options:12
(i) Deferring collection of the impact fee payment until final 13
inspection; or14
(ii) Deferring collection of the impact fee payment until 15
certificate of occupancy or equivalent certification.16
(b) Cities and towns utilizing the deferral process required by 17
this subsection must withhold certification of final inspection, 18
certificate of occupancy, or equivalent certification until the 19
connection charges have been paid in full.20
(c) For the purpose of this subsection (2), "connection charges" 21
means the one-time capital and administrative charges, as authorized 22
in subsection (1) of this section, that are imposed by a utility on a 23
single-family detached, single-family attached, or multifamily 24
residence for a new utility service and costs borne or assessed by a 25
utility for the labor, materials, and services necessary to 26
physically connect a designated residence to the respective utility 27
service.28
--- END ---
p. 2 SB 6096