Garbage service bills for Snohomish to increase





SNOHOMISH — Garbage rates are scheduled to inch up April 1, and will rise annually through 2024 under the city’s seven year contract with Republic Services.
This year, customers will see bills rise about 2.5 to 4 percent depending on their service needs according to Republic spokesman Russell Joe.
For a typical residential consumer who has a weekly pick up of one 32-gallon receptacle, plus yard waste and recycling, the rate will increase from $31.25 to $32.47 per month, Joe said.
Customers in Monroe pay, $28.30 per month for the residential service, and $259.35 for the commercial in those two scenarios, Republic’s Joe said.
Snohomish residents in this example are paying $4.17 a month more in garbage service compared to Monroe for the same service.
For a commercial customer with a four-yard container with weekly pickup, the rate rises about $5 a month, from $249.29 to $254.44.
Rates can vary from customer to customer based on a number of factors.
For comparison, Rubatino Refuse Removal charges Everett customers $32.47 for similar residential service and $232.92 for a commercial four-yard container.
“Overall the service provided by Republic Services has been satisfactory,” said Snohomish city finance manager Debbie Burton who manages the city’s solid waste contracting. “The past year there have been issues with some services and the city has worked proactively with Republic to address those issues.”
Republic’s rate rises in tandem with the annually adjusted Consumer Price Index for garbage and trash collection services.
Annual increases are common at Republic: it increased rates in four other cities in January, Joe said.