A. Service Charges And Fees: This provision shall establish a system of periodic service charges and fees for the purpose of equitably imposing upon all users the costs and expenses of operation, maintenance, repair and replacement of the wastewater system. The service charges and fees shall be based upon: 1) the volume and content of effluent discharged into the wastewater system of the City; and 2) the costs and expenses of operation, maintenance, repair and replacement of the wastewater system, such charges and fees having been determined to be the benefit derived by each building, structure or user being charged. The system of periodic service charges and fees shall consist of the following categories: facility replacement, operation and maintenance, and fixed charge for zero use.
1. Facility Replacement: The purpose of this category is to accumulate a reserve for replacement of the wastewater system. This reserve shall be based on the total historical costs for the applicable facilities and equipment.
2. Operation And Maintenance: The purpose of this category is to recover, equitably from all users, the costs and expenses incurred by the City in operating and maintaining the wastewater system.
3. Fixed Charge For Zero Use: The purpose of this category is to equitably apportion among all customers a portion of those fixed costs which continue to be incurred whether or not individual customers utilize the wastewater system. Such costs include, but are not limited to, costs attributable to providing basic office staff for the administration of the City sewer system. Payment of these costs shall be made by all customers, including those with zero flow discharge.
B. When Payment Is Due: Service charges and fees imposed pursuant to this section shall be received by the City by the due date shown on the invoice or billing statement.
C. Deposits:
1. Deposits are not required for new service unless the user:
a. Is rated as a poor credit risk by a reputable credit bureau;
b. Has had an overdue bill three (3) times with any utility in the past four (4) years;
c. Has supplied false information at the time of application for service; or
d. Has filed for bankruptcy.
2. A deposit for residential service shall be equal to three (3) months worth of estimated charges. A deposit for commercial service shall be equal to two (2) months worth of estimated charges. The deposit will be refunded or credited when the user no longer requires service or has paid all bills satisfactorily for twelve (12) consecutive months.
3. Instead of paying a deposit, user may receive service if someone else signs a guarantee for his bill. This person, called the "guarantor" must be rated as a good credit risk by a reputable credit bureau. The guarantor is responsible for an amount equal to the deposit, but will be released from this obligation after twelve (12) consecutive months of satisfactory payments have been made by the user.
D. Unmonitored Connections: The monthly sewer service charge or fee for each property owner whose connection to the wastewater system is unmonitored shall be based upon the winter water use of such owner or user, plus the fixed charge for zero use.
E. Monitored Connections:
1. The monthly service charge or fee for each sewer user whose connection to the wastewater system is monitored shall be established by the Public Works Department based upon: a) flow; b) the concentration of BOD; c) the concentration of TSS; d) other special constituents that may require treatment; and e) the fixed charge for zero use, and in accordance with monitored waste charges, unless otherwise specified by a separate contract.
2. If the City determines by reviewing the relationship between actual or anticipated BOD and ammonia-nitrogen (NH3-N) discharges that an atypical discharge is or will be occurring, a monthly service charge or fee may be charged using ammonia-nitrogen (NH3-N) as an additional component. An atypical discharge will be evaluated against the treatment system design and operating parameters. (A rate system that includes ammonia-nitrogen will have a lower BOD rate than a rate system that does not include ammonia-nitrogen.)
F. Temporary Lift Stations: For each person served by a temporary lift station, there shall be a fixed, monthly charge until such time as the property owner or sewer user is no longer served by the temporary lift station. If served by more than one temporary lift station, the temporary lift station maintenance and operation fee shall only be charged for the nearest downstream station.
G. Users Served By Wells:
1. Well Meters For Commercial Users:
a. Each commercial property owner or sewer user not serviced by a public water supplier with water, but having a private well or water supply for commercial or industrial purposes, shall install and maintain, at his or its own expense, a water meter capable of measuring the total gallons or cubic feet per day of water being used for those purposes. Such meter shall be:
(1) Approved by the Department of Public Works prior to installation;
(2) Installed within sixty (60) days after receiving written approval from the department; and
(3) Situated upon the property to be accessible to the department at all times during normal working hours.
b. The Public Works Department may waive these requirements for commercial property owners if it can be determined that the user is a low consumption user and monthly charges can be estimated by the department.
2. Residential Well Users: The monthly sewer service charge or fee for each property owner or user whose connection to sewer is unmonitored, and whose record of water consumption is unmetered or unavailable, shall be fixed by the Public Works Department based upon the fees established in subsection 10-2-7-2B of this chapter, and the cubic feet of water discharged into the City sewer system as determined by the department. However, in the case of single-family dwellings with unmetered or unavailable water consumption records, the cubic feet discharge is determined as follows:
Number Of Residents | Water Consumption/Month |
Number Of Residents | Water Consumption/Month |
1 | 200 |
2 | 400 |
3 | 700 |
4 | 900 |
5 | 1,100 |
6 | 1,300 |
7 | 1,500 |
8 and above | 1,700 |
(1952 Code § 8-11-06.04)