Customer trust in the community-owned Eugene Water & Electric Board is on the rise, according to results from EWEB’s 2024 customer survey.
Customer satisfaction with essential services like water and electric reliability has significantly improved. However, affordability remains a priority for many customers.
The survey, conducted by independent research firm GreatBlue Research, Inc. gathered responses from nearly 1,300 residential customers. The findings indicate that overall customer satisfaction with EWEB has grown from 53% in 2022 to 65% in 2024, reflecting strong confidence in the utility’s priorities and initiatives.
Key Findings:
- Customer trust is growing: Nearly 70% of respondents report high trust in EWEB, a 4-percentage-point increase from 2022.
- Reliability ratings are up: Satisfaction with water service reliability increased to 88% (+11 points), drinking water quality to 84% (+14 points), and electric service reliability and outage restoration to 79% (+11 points).
- Awareness of EWEB’s emergency preparedness is improving: 66% of customers are now aware of emergency water stations, up 14 percentage points from 2022.
- Support for environmental efforts remains strong: 75% of respondents approve of EWEB’s watershed protection efforts (+26 points), and 58% support greenhouse gas reduction initiatives (+15 points).
- Affordability remains a key concern: Only 40% of respondents are satisfied with EWEB’s efforts to control costs.
When asked to rank their top priorities for EWEB, customers ranked reliability as number one, followed closely by affordability.
The double-header ice storm that plowed through the Pacific Northwest in January 2024 was likely still fresh in the minds of many EWEB customers taking the survey. At the peak of that ice storm, 24,000 EWEB customers were without power.
“EWEB’s equipment is generally very reliable, but we face challenges from aging infrastructure, natural disasters and climate change,” said EWEB General Manager Frank Lawson. “We plan to invest nearly $120 million in electric and drinking water infrastructure in 2025 and about $1 billion over the next decade to modernize and rebuild the systems that keep the water flowing and the lights on.”
But those investments also mean rate increases, and while the majority of customers support EWEB’s strategic priorities, affordability remains a top issue. Nearly one-third of respondents cited concerns about rates and financial assistance.
A typical Eugene household using 1600 kWh of electricity and 9,000 gallons of water pays about $250 per month to EWEB, or about $8.30 per day. Because EWEB is community-owned, there are no profit margins built into utility rates. But with the costs of producing and delivering electricity and water on the rise, EWEB has raised customer prices four years in a row. Prior to that, EWEB rates remained steady for five consecutive years between 2017-2021.
EWEB Goals Focus on Those in Need
At public meetings in January and February, EWEB's elected Board of Commissioners approved a year full of ambitious goals with a focus on supporting limited-income customers and improving the efficiency of rental units.
“Customers rely on us to power their lives and meet their needs for water. Our work never stops,” said Frank Lawson. “We bear a mantle of responsibility of delivering those life-sustaining resources today, tomorrow, the next year and the next decade. We take that duty seriously.”
With utility costs and other essential expenses rising, EWEB is taking extra steps to find effective ways to help customers who need financial assistance. Two of EWEB’s eight goals for 2025 focus on improving the impact of programs for customers facing affordability concerns:
Enhancing Limited Income Support Programs:
EWEB will explore how to improve the impact of its existing programs, such as EWEB Customer Care. This program provides financial assistance to around 5,000 households every year, offering a $280 bill credit to help offset utility costs. But demand for the program often outpaces supply, particularly in the winter when electricity bills are highest.
"The Customer Care Program is a critical support for thousands of households, but as it stands, it’s a blunt instrument. It provides broad relief, but not necessarily in the most targeted or effective way,” Lawson said. “We have an opportunity to refine the program to better match assistance with the needs of our customers, ensuring that those facing the greatest financial strain receive the help they need while making the best use of our customers’ resources."
In addition, the utility will explore new options like pre-pay billing, a program that allows customers to pay for electricity in advance, helping them better manage usage and avoid unexpected bills.
Exploring Energy Efficiency Opportunities in Eugene’s Rental Market:
EWEB currently offers rebates, loans, and a Home Energy Score Program specifically for rental units. However, renters face challenges in accessing energy-saving programs.
So, EWEB will analyze demographic and housing data to better understand existing opportunities for targeted efficiency improvements. Rental units comprise roughly half of Eugene’s housing stock and some of them would benefit from energy efficiency upgrades. These efforts are intended to improve affordability for renters while also supporting broader community climate goals.
EWEB’s survey results show 79% of customers understand that energy costs vary based on demand and an impressive 81% of respondents are interested in participating in utility programs that provide incentives to use less electricity during peak demand periods, helping to balance the power grid, manage energy costs, and reduce carbon emissions.
These results provide EWEB with insights into customer preferences for future pricing structures.
“We understand the financial impacts of our services and charges on customers with limited resources, and we want to find solutions to help customers pay their bills,” Lawson said. “EWEB is preparing for a multi-year rate redesign project to ensure fair, sustainable, and future-ready pricing for electricity and water. Our goal is to develop a rate structure that improves customer choice, responds to changing electricity supply and demand, and ensures the continued financial stability of the electric and water utilities.”
EWEB will use the survey data to guide decision-making on key projects, including rate design, customer programs, and infrastructure planning. Findings will also inform ongoing community engagement efforts.
