The 19.3% increase, applicable to property owners in the sewer district coverage area, which encompasses most of the county’s population centers, would generate an extra $1.62 million a year starting next year. The hike would boost property tax collections from $8.42 million for 2021 to $10.04 million for 2022, not including increased revenue stemming from new growth.

“It’s a large project, a multimillion-dollar project,” said Kevin Hall, the sewer district general manager, alluding to the planned facility upgrades, meant to comply with regulatory requirements coming from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Part of the proposed tax hike — focus of a public hearing next Monday — would also help the district keep pace with rising costs of materials and labor.

The sewer district, a public entity overseen by a board of trustees that also serves a small part of Davis County, contracts with cities to process sewage and wastewater, charging client municipalities fees for the service. The district is also proposing a 10% hike in those fees for 2022, which will be another focus of next Monday’s hearing.

The hearing starts at 6 p.m. and will be held at the sewer district offices at 2618 W. Pioneer Road, Marriott-Slaterville, where its treatment facilities are located.

The property tax, if approved, would appear on tax bills of affected property owners next year. Sewer district taxes for the owner of a home worth $385,000, the average, would go from $106.51 to $127.05. Though the fee increase would be applicable to client locales, Hall said cities typically pass such expenses on to individual customers.

In the city of Ogden, utility bills cover potable water use, sewer service and trash collection.

The Central Weber Sewer Improvement District serves Farr West, Ogden, South Ogden, Harrisville, Pleasant View, Washington Terrace, Marriott-Slaterville, Riverdale, North Ogden, South Weber, West Haven and Hooper plus parts of Plain City, Roy and Uintah. It serves some portions of unincorporated western Weber County, but does not serve Huntsville or the Ogden Valley.

The proposed tax hike is the first since 2007. Hall said he’s only received a handful of phone calls from the public on the proposed increase. “There’s not much grumbling about the increase,” he said.