923.01 RATES.
   For the purpose of providing for the cost of the management, maintenance, operation, repair and capital improvement development of the City of Bellefontaine Water System, the following rates are hereby established for services provided, commencing with all billings beginning July 1, 2021:
   (a)   Resident. The charge for water furnished to any residential home, commercial, or industrial consumer within the City of Bellefontaine shall be, unless otherwise provided herein, as follows:
 
 
CHARGE
OPERATIONS/ADMINISTRATIVE FEE
$15.00
GALLONS PER MONTH
BEGINNING JULY 1, 2021 through DECEMBER 31, 2021
0-2,000
2.00 PER 1,000 GALLONS
OVER 2,001 GALLONS
3.00 PER 1,000 GALLONS
BEGINNING JANUARY 1, 2022
CONSUMPTION CHARGE
3.00 PER 1,000 GALLONS
   All charges for water for residential, commercial and industrial purposes shall be billed and paid monthly. All bills not paid during the month when due and payable shall be subject to a ten percent (10%) penalty.
   (b)   Nonresident. When Council authorizes the City to provide water to users outside the corporate limits of the City, the City shall furnish water to all such authorized properties at the rate set forth in subsection (a) hereof plus fifty percent (50%).
      (c)    To ensure adequate funding for future operations, an annual evaluation of water rates is to be made by May 1st of each calendar year by members of the Utilities Committee of the City Council, the Administration, the Utilities Superintendent, and the City Auditor. This provision is subject to review of current and projected revenue needs and to allow for funding of infrastructure maintenance, development, and capital improvement.
      (Ord. 21-30. Passed 6-8-21.)
   (d)    Meter Installation Fee. Requests for a new water service connection shall be filed with the Utilities Office of the City and shall be accompanied by a service connection fee of three hundred dollars ($300.00). No such request shall be considered without the connection fee paid. The charges for any and all installations of water connections and meters shall be computed on a time and materials basis for the meter, electronic reading device, labor and supplies needed to properly complete such installation with such time and material costs to be in accordance with those kept on file in the office of the Service-Safety Director. The three hundred dollar ($300.00) service connection fee shall in all instances be paid when the request for the installation is filed with any balance due for the cost of such installation to be billed and paid upon the completion of the installation and before the use of any water by the customer. All water meters and electronic meter reading devices remain the property of the City of Bellefontaine and will be replaced by the City at the City's expense when worn out by normal usage. Water meters and electronic reading devices vandalized or otherwise damaged by unauthorized tampering or property negligence will be replaced by the City at the expense of the property owner.
         (e)    Discontinuance of Service and Return-Ons. In the event that users do not comply with the terms of usage or in the event that delinquencies are created, the Director of Service and Safety or the Superintendent of Utilities is hereby authorized to discontinue service. A charge of thirty-five dollars ($35.00) will be made for return- ons required during normal working hours. A charge of one hundred dollars ($100.00) will be made for all other return-ons after normal working hours.
   (f)   Single Meter for General Residences. Contractors or other owners of multi-unit developments shall have the option to have installed either individual water meters for each unit or a single meter covering several units. The rate for individual unit meters shall be as set forth in subsections (a) and (b) hereof. The rate for a single meter covering several units shall be computed by dividing the number of units into the number of gallons used to obtain the average rate per unit. The average rate per unit shall then be multiplied by the number of units, resulting in the rate to be paid. The provisions of this subsection are subject to the limitations contained in subsection (b) hereof. For the purposes of this subsection, a multi-unit development is a development with more than one water closet used by more than one lessee or renter when the lease or rental agreement is for a period of time exceeding three months. Each water closet used by a lessee or renter under such an agreement shall qualify such area as a separate unit for the purposes of this subsection.
(Ord. 16-56. Passed 11-7-16.)