(A) Water rates and charges shall be based on the quantity of water used on or in the property or premises subject to such rates and charges, as the water meter there measures the same in use.
(B) For the use of and the service rendered by the town’s water works, rates and charges shall be collected from the owners of each and every lot, parcel of real estate or building that is connected with the town water system. The rate and charges shall be payable as hereinafter provided and shall be in an amount determinable as follows:
(1) Effective July 1, 2015:
Quantity of Water Used Per Month | Charge Per 1,000 Gallons |
First 2,000 gallons | $3.55 (included in minimum charge) |
Next 3,000 gallons | $6.94 |
Next 5,000 gallons | $6.26 |
Next 20,000 gallons | $4.25 |
Over 30,000 gallons | $3.46 |
Minimum charge $19.40 per month.* | |
* Minimum monthly charge consists of $3.95 water tower maintenance, $4.60 debt repayment, $3.75 depreciation, and $7.10 for 2,000 gallons of water.
(2) Effective July 1, 2016:
Quantity of Water Used Per Month | Charge Per 1,000 Gallons |
First 2,000 gallons | $3.66 |
Next 3,000 gallons | $7.15 |
Next 5,000 gallons | $6.45 |
Next 20,000 gallons | $4.38 |
Over 30,000 gallons | $3.56 |
Minimum charge $19.62 per month.* | |
* Minimum monthly charge consists of $3.95 water tower maintenance, $4.60 debt repayment, $3.75 depreciation, and $7.32 for 2,000 gallons of water.
(3) Effective July 1, 2017
Quantity of Water Used Per Month | Charge Per 1,000 Gallons |
First 2,000 gallons | $3.77 |
Next 3,000 gallons | $7.36 |
Next 5,000 gallons | $6.64 |
Next 20,000 gallons | $4.51 |
Over 30,000 gallons | $3.67 |
Minimum charge $19.84 per month.* | |
* Minimum monthly charge consists of $3.95 water tower maintenance, $4.60 debt repayment, $3.75 depreciation, and $7.54 for 2,000 gallons of water.
(4) Effective July 1, 2018:
Quantity of Water Used Per Month | Charge Per 1,000 Gallons |
First 2,000 gallons | $3.88 |
Next 3,000 gallons | $7.58 |
Next 5,000 gallons | $6.84 |
Next 20,000 gallons | $4.65 |
Over 30,000 gallons | $3.78 |
Minimum charge $20.06 per month.* | |
* Minimum monthly charge consists of $3.95 water tower maintenance, $4.60 debt repayment, $3.75 depreciation, and $7.76 for 2,000 gallons of water.
(5) Effective July 1, 2019:
Quantity of Water Used Per Month | Charge Per 1,000 Gallons |
First 2,000 gallons | $4.00 |
Next 3,000 gallons | $7.81 |
Next 5,000 gallons | $7.05 |
Next 20,000 gallons | $4.79 |
Over 30,000 gallons | $3.89 |
Minimum charge $20.30 per month.* | |
* Minimum monthly charge consists of $3.95 water tower maintenance, $4.60 debt repayment, $3.75 depreciation, and $8.00 for 2,000 gallons of water.
(C) Each property owner, renter or land contract purchaser shall be charged the sum of $19.20 per month. This is the minimum amount and includes the first 2,000 gallons of water used. This charge shall be assessed to each property that has a water connection whether the service is active or inactive.
(D) Persons purchasing metered water from hydrants and the like in quantity (i.e. tankers and the like) shall be billed at two and one-half times the regular rate plus a $10 connection fee for each individual purchase. See April 25, 2005 minutes for interpretation.
(E) Albany-Delaware Township Volunteer Firefighters using water for firefighting purposes or washing fire trucks and rescue units are exempt from water charges.
(F) The connection charge shall be $850 for five-eighths inch and three-fourth inch meters. Actual cost will be charged for meters larger than three-fourths inch but not less than $850. This charge is to be assessed to all water meters even if more than one meter is installed in the same pit that serves more than one customer. Residents who request a double water meter pit with two meters (i.e. one meter used for sprinkling and the like) in the pit will be charged $1,100 connection charge and will be billed for the usage subject to the monthly minimum charge even though there is no water used during the period the meter is read.
(G) When a meter is moved by request, the owner shall be charged actual cost of moving. This is to be determined by the Clerk-Treasurer.
(H) Municipal hydrants per month: $1,238.25 (127 @ $9.75), $14,859 per annum.
(I) Private hydrants per hydrant: $156 per annum.
(J) Automatic sprinkler: $156 per annum.
(K) Reconnection fee shall be $35 after disconnection for non-payment. In cases where a customer has moved out, the new customer does not have to pay the reconnection fee. A fee of $5 applies for reconnection when the disconnection is requested by the customer (such as gone for the winter).
(L) Payment by a check, which is dishonored at a bank, will be treated as non-payment. Penalties will apply and water services will be turned off. An additional charge of $27.50 will be added for each dishonored check. After receipt of second check for utilities is returned for insufficient funds, that party is placed on a cash or money order only method of payment, indefinitely. (See March 22, 2006 minutes).
(M) The Town Council shall have the authority to increase or decrease the amounts being transferred to the Water Depreciation Fund or Water Bond and Interest Fund each month. This is to be done by vote at a regularly scheduled council meeting.
(N) The meter pit and contents are the property of the town. Any owner/renter/land contract purchaser or agent of same found to have entered the pit without notifying the town will be fined the sum of $150. Subsequent tampering and/or damage will be assessed and repaired by the town with the resulting charges billed to the customer. Emergency circumstances or situations requiring an unauthorized breach of the meter pit, where notification of the town is not possible, will be addressed by the Town Council to determine liability of the customer and the amount of fine and/or charges should any occur.
(O) Any owner/renter/land contract purchaser or agent of same, who has been found responsible for unauthorized restoration of water service, will be subject to a fine of $150, the cost of any repairs and utility charges calculated at a three month average for the period of unauthorized use. Notification will be sent to the property owner and/or renter detailing the fine, repair costs and water usage charges.
(P) See Ordinance 2006-9 for water meter obstructions and Ordinance 1998-21 for billing procedures due to obstructions.
(Q) (1) For all new residential customers and business customers, an initial deposit to begin utility service is required. The town shall monitor the usage of the occupied property for a three month period of time to determine an average usage amount. If the amount of the three month average usage exceeds the initial deposit amount, then the account holder shall pay the difference between the initial deposit amount and the three month average amount as an additional deposit. Future reviews may become necessary should exceptional sustained monthly usage amounts exceed the established deposit amount.
(2) Failure to pay the additional amount by the customer will result in shut off of the service 14 business days after notice.
(3) Initial deposits shall be as follows:
(a) Residential customers: $150.00
(b) Business deposits shall be determined by the Town Council based on type of business and estimated consumption.
(4) Initial deposits shall be made before service is established at residential properties.
(5) Property owners shall advise the Town Clerk-Treasurer's Office in writing of any change of address for notification of possible liens.
(R) The boys and girls Little Leagues are allowed the first 3,000 gallons of water free per month. They will be billed for water usage over the 3,000 gallons.
(S) As is provided by statute, all rates and charges not paid when due are hereby declared to be delinquent and a penalty of 10% of the amount of the rates of charges shall thereupon attach thereto. The time at which such rates shall be paid is now fixed at 15 days after the date of mailing the bill. (See Ordinance 2008-14 for delinquent bill procedure.)
(T) A customer may have an adjustment to both their water utility billing and their sanitary sewer billing after making repairs for a water leak. The adjustment may be granted one time per year. This adjustment must be requested by the customer in writing within 90 days of leak detection. All prior unrequested adjustments that are over 90 days old will not be allowed unless the Town Council makes an exception at the owner’s request in a Town Council meeting. The adjustment is based on an average of the past three months’ bills. In addition, an adjustment may be given on the sanitary sewage billing only for water leaks or usage that does not go back into the sanitary sewage system (i.e. leaks in lines, filling pools or watering lawns when not on summer sewage rates). The customer, in all situations, must request an adjustment. An adjustment will not be granted without a request from the customer.
(U) Dead meters are billed an average of last three months when meter last worked.
(V) In the event of cold weather, the town shall reserve the right to determine when it will replace a water meter. The Water Superintendent will make this decision.
(Ord. 2010-15, passed 12-28-10; Am. Ord. 2011-8, passed 6-13-11; Am. Ord. 2011-17, passed 9-12-11; Am. Ord. 2011-29, passed 11-28-11; Am. Ord. 2011-33, passed 1-23-12; Am. Ord. 2013-26, passed 1-13-14; Am. Ord. 2014-16, passed 8-25-14; Am. Ord. 2015-13, passed 5-26-15; Am. Ord. 2016-2, passed 1-25-16; Am Ord. 2018-12, passed 7-30-18; Am. Ord. 2018-18, passed 11-26-18)