Shipyard sewer bill mistake costs city of Portland
A 16-year mistake on Shipyard Brewing Co.’s sewer bill drastically reduced the amount the brewery was paying, costing the city hundreds of thousands of dollars in lost revenue. The error was discovered one year ago and made public by the Portland Press Herald through a Freedom of Access request.
According to the paper, a billing oversight meant Shipyard paid for only a fraction of its sewer usage since 1996. The city wouldn’t say specifically how much money was lost, but the brewery may release that information Monday. Since last March, Shipyard has been paying the full amount, which has added between $17,000 and $41,000 to its monthly sewer bill, Portland Water District records show. Based on the amount of water Shipyard used in 2011, the unbilled sewer charges could amount up to $300,000 a year. President Fred Forsley, however, said the amount would have been less in previous years because the brewery produced significantly less beer, using less water. Sewer bills are based on how much water a business or household uses.
Forsley told the paper the brewery is not responsible for back payments for sewer fees it was never billed. The brewery is currently looking into a sewer credit offered to other breweries that determines a fee that subtracts the volume of beer produced from the total amount of water used. The city and the Portland Water District, a quasi-municipal organization that provides water and sewer services, are currently debating who is responsible for the mistake.
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