(a) Every person, firm or corporation whose premises are served by a sewer connection which discharges sanitary sewage, industrial wastes, water or other liquids, either directly or indirectly, into sewerage facilities under the jurisdiction of the City shall be charged for the use of such facilities and for the treatment of such sewage and wastes at the rates established by Chapter 937.
(b) The sewerage service charge shall be applied to each and every premises discharging normal sewage into the sewerage system as defined in Section 933.06.
(c) The sewerage service charge shall be applied to each and every premise having a sanitary or combined sewer connection as of the beginning of the next regularly scheduled billing period following the completion of the building sewer connection.
(d) The sewerage service charge shall include, but need not be limited to, a minimum charge and a commodity charge. The minimum charge shall be based on minimum water consumption rate of 300 cubic feet per month. The commodity charge shall be based on the quantity of water used, over 300 cubic feet per month, as measured by the water meter or meters, which meters shall be acceptable to the City.
(e) When a property is served by more than one water meter, a minimum charge as stipulated in subsection (c) hereof shall be made for each meter. The charge shall be applied to the consolidated flow, above the minimums, for all meters except as otherwise provided in subsection (g) hereof.
(f) When a property is supplied either in whole or in part with water from wells or any source other than a public water supply, such wells or sources of supply shall be registered in writing to and on a form furnished by the City. The sewerage service charge shall be based on the average charge paid by the owner of a comparable dwelling in the public water supply system. The amount of such charge shall be approved by the Superintendent. If the owner feels that the charge is unjust, he may, upon approval of the Superintendent, install, at his own cost, a meter for measuring consumed water. This meter shall be in accordance with subsection (n) hereof.
(g) When a person, firm or corporation can show to the satisfaction of the City that a portion of the water as measured by the water meter does not enter the sewerage system, that person, firm or corporation may submit an application on a form provided by the City for the installation of a flow meter, as stated in subsection (n) hereof. The City has the authority to permit or to require an additional meter, to be installed at the applicant's expense, to measure the quantity of water actually entering the sewerage system. The quantity of water used to determine the sewerage service charge shall be the quantity of water actually entering the sewerage system as so determined.
(h) When a person, firm or corporation has reason to believe that a reduction in or exemption from the sewerage service charge is justified, that person, firm or corporation shall submit a written application to the City and shall furnish such information as required in support of the request. The Superintendent shall have the authority to approve, deny or adjust any such applications.
(i) When a well or wells are used as a supplementary water supply and are used for a period not exceeding six months in any calendar year, the minimum portion of the sewerage service charge may be waived by the City for the period of non-usage subject to such requirements as he may deem necessary.
(j) Where the agency supplying the water makes an adjustment in the water charges as a result of water leakage, an adjustment in the sewerage service charges shall automatically be made and in the same proportion as the adjustment in the water charges.
(k) Except as in subsection (j) hereof, any other reduction in the sewerage service charges for leakage on any lot, land or premise shall be made only upon application to the City, and then only in cases where it can be definitely determined that such leakage could not enter the sewerage system.
(l) Fire protection service branches shall be exempt from all sewerage service charges.
(m) Where a flow meter is required for the proper determination of water subject to the sewerage service charges, such meter shall be installed only after approval has been granted by the City. The meter shall be installed, owned and maintained by the property owner. Venturi meters, flumes, weirs and other methods of measuring flow shall be used only when authorized by the City. Meters which shall be approved are as follows:
(1) Meters purchased from the utility company supplying the water;
(2) Meters, equal or similar to subsection (o)(1) hereof, purchased elsewhere and tested by the City;
(3) Crest or turbine type meters of two-inch size and over, to be used where it is established the particular meter is under full head at all times; provided such meters are tested and approved for large constant flows by the City;
(4) Meters used currently for tax purposes by the federal government shall be accepted without tests; and
(5) Existing private meters now in place may be continued in use on a conditional basis. If such meters are suspected of faulty registration, they are subject to a test, when so ordered by the City.
A. Other meters shall be tested by the manufacturer of the meter and a certificate of the test shall be furnished to the City. Meters shall not be used without the written approval of the City.
B. It is understood that where an auxiliary meter has been installed, such a meter shall not be removed without the approval of the City.
(n) All meters shall be installed in accordance with the standards, rules and regulations of the water supplier and the requirements of the Superintendent of the Waste Water Treatment Plant. Where private meters are used on wells, or in an industrial water distribution system, and such meters are set behind the primary water supply meter, the aforementioned standards, rules and regulations may be modified or waived by the City.
(o) When the magnitude of flow or toxic concentration is of such magnitude so as to overtax the hydraulic or treatment capacity of the system, the Superintendent may require the industrial dischargers to install equalization of facilities in order to distribute discharges over a greater time span.
(Ord. 2016-50. Passed 3-21-2016.)