Pinewood Sanitary District held a public hearing on March 12, 2026. District operator David Richardson told the room that Phase 2 of the sewer work would repair mains under several streets and washes. He added a condition that every homeowner on the system should hear. Once work begins, any obstructions in the sewer easements "will have to be removed at the homeowner's cost, not the District." That is recorded in the hearing minutes. A fence, shed, deck or row of landscaping over a sewer line becomes the owner's problem when the contractor arrives.
That clause comes from a bigger story. Munds Park listings often treat "sewer, not septic" as the convenient choice. In 2026, though, a home on the Pinewood Sanitary District system helps pay for collection-system repairs the district describes as mandated by ADEQ. The monthly cost of those repairs is set by how much loan money the district has drawn so far, and the calendar has little to do with it.
What the bill shows since October 1
Pinewood Sanitary District bills quarterly, four invoices a year, and customers can pay monthly by the 15th. The district's homepage now carries a notice that starting October 1, 2026, the monthly amount with WIFA fees is $113.57.
| Line on the bill | Monthly | Per quarterly invoice | What it pays for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Operations and Maintenance base fee | $85.00 | $255.00 | Running the plant and collection system |
| WIFA recoupment fee, Oct. 2026 through June 2027 | $28.57 | $85.71 | Repaying state infrastructure loans |
| Total | $113.57 | $340.71 |
The base fee comes from the district's FAQ page. The WIFA figure comes from the board's September 10, 2026 vote. The WIFA fee is about a quarter of the total bill, and it is the part that changes.
Why the second line exists
The fee goes back to Munds Creek. ADEQ's permit fact sheet for the district's treatment plant says Pinewood Sanitary District entered a Consent Judgment with the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality, case CV2024-027256, "for collection system failures and bypasses that impacted Munds Creek." According to the ADEQ fact sheet, the judgment took effect October 10, 2024.
It started before that. At the March hearing, Richardson explained that the district manager received a letter from the Arizona Attorney General's Office in September 2023 about resolving the district's violations. The WIFA loans to pay for the fixes were voted on and approved that November. He said the district is required to repair and replace the collection system as mandated by ADEQ, and that there are more than 300 repairs to make.
WIFA is the Water Infrastructure Finance Authority of Arizona, the state lender for this kind of work. The fee money goes into a repayment-only account and is not counted as operating revenue. The work it pays for is the collection-system repair that Richardson described at the hearing as mandated by ADEQ.
The fee follows the loan draws
In February 2026, board member Barb Sherman described the district's three WIFA loans. The February minutes record them this way:
- The first $3 million loan covered the east side commercial area, Navajo, Country Club, Lodge, Barnwood and the RV Park. It was drawn up front, and about $30,000 was left. Seventeen properties have been paying a set amount on it monthly through 2033.
- A second $3 million loan pays out only as reimbursement. About $1 million was still left to draw.
- A $12 million loan also pays out only as reimbursement and had not been drawn yet. January's minutes say WIFA fully authorized it on December 19.
Reimbursement-only means the district does the work first and draws the money afterward. Repayments start once the money is drawn, so the fee tracks construction progress. Sherman put it directly at the March hearing: the WIFA fee "will be different every quarter until the entire $15 million is drawn out and the project is completed." She also told residents the district will not go over $15 million, because that is the amount voted on in November 2023.
The June 11, 2026 minutes repeat the point: each quarter, the recoupment fee will go up based on additional loan draws. Back in January, Sherman explained her understanding that an earlier rate increase would cover repayment of the first $3 million loan but could not cover the $12 million.
The September vote shows the direction. Staff offered two options for the payments due January 1 and July 1, 2027. One was $26.21 a month for October through December, rising to $29.75 for January through June. The other was a flat $28.57 for all nine months. The board picked the flat rate unanimously. The flat rate evens out a step-up that was already built into the numbers. It covers October through June only.
Where Phase 2 lands
The fee follows the work, so the construction schedule matters. In January, Richardson told the board that Phase 2 of the ADEQ-required work, including wash repairs, could cost $4 million to $7 million. In July the board announced that bidding was complete and that Mountain High Excavating would do the Phase 2 infrastructure replacement work. Project manager Cade Greenhall introduced the company at that meeting. In September, Phase 2 was still described as upcoming, and Richardson suggested renting a sign to advertise it. Project information will still be posted at the local Post Office.
Other work is already visible around town:
- Odell Lake. The old lift station is gone, and crews have been cleaning lines and flushing out debris. Summit Construction was to monitor trench settling over the winter. The board has since discussed selling the Lake Odell Lift Station property after a survey and appraisal.
- Raintree. The district notified residents of upcoming work and said trees might be cut for access. Engineers from Ardurra had already staked the properties.
- Green Mountain. Crews are expected there in the coming months to replace a stretch of pipe.
- The plant. Trees were being removed in June to start building a new lift station at the plant. Two new hybrid blowers have been installed, and as of September the district was waiting on its next APS bill to see what they save.
Each of these projects draws on the loans, and each draw pushes the WIFA line up.
The work has an upside for the system's future. At the hearing, a resident asked whether the new pipes account for growth in Munds Park. Richardson said Ardurra has built a model of Munds Park that can track capacity as homes are added, and that the work does not bring the district near capacity.
What to get from the district before closing
The $113.57 reflects the current WIFA line, in a fee the district has said will move with loan draws. A buyer comparing Munds Park with Flagstaff, Williams or Mormon Lake should budget for sewer as a cost that grows over the next few years. Before closing, a buyer can collect these:
- The current quarterly invoice for the property, to confirm the base fee and WIFA line match the district's posted amounts.
- Whether the address is one of the 17 properties still paying monthly on the first WIFA loan through 2033.
- The sewer easement location on the lot, and whether anything built or planted sits on it, given the district's statement about obstructions.
- Whether the street is on the Phase 2 list. The hearing named streets and washes generally.
- The district's transfer form, which is linked from the Pinewood Sanitary District homepage.
- Payment setup. The district moved online payments to a new processor, GovPros, on July 1, 2026. Customers on PSD's SurePay autopay don't need to change anything for the WIFA fee. Customers paying through their own bank's bill pay have to update the amount themselves.
The district's next board meeting is Thursday, November 12, at 3 p.m. at 18075 Fairway Dr., according to the Pinewood Property Owners Association events page. Board meetings are where fee changes and construction updates come up first.
This post is general information about public utility records. It is not legal, tax or financial advice, so confirm how these fees and easement terms apply to a specific property with the district and the right professional.
FAQ
Does the $28.57 WIFA fee end in June 2027? The September vote set $28.57 a month for October through June. The district has said the fee will keep changing each quarter until the full $15 million is drawn and the project is finished.
Is the WIFA fee part of the regular sewer rate? No. The district deposits it in a repayment-only account for the WIFA loans and does not count it as operations and maintenance revenue.
Who pays to clear a sewer easement during construction? At the March 12, 2026 hearing, the district said that once work begins, homeowners must remove obstructions in the easements at their own cost.
If you're weighing a Munds Park home and want help reading its sewer bill, easement and timing against Phase 2, the Justin Bemis Real Estate Team can work through those details with you before you write an offer. Contact Us.
