With household costs for utilities projected to rapidly increase each year for the next decade – making housing even less affordable than it is today – King County Executive Shannon Braddock and Sound Cities Association on Friday brought together more than 150 elected officials, regulators, and public works managers from throughout King County to develop a path that both protects the natural environment and reduces the burden on homeowners.

A typical single-family household in King County currently pays an estimated $400 per month for utilities, including natural gas, electricity, solid waste, stormwater, sewer, and water. The combined monthly costs will likely continue to escalate over the next decade due to inflation in the construction industry, new environmental regulations, and the need to maintain and expand aging infrastructure to serve a growing population. Read more.