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Division 7. Sewer Fees and Charges
§ 31.380 PURPOSE
   This division provides for the recovery of costs from users of the POTW for the implementation of the program established herein.
(Ord. No. 17-91, 6-25-91)
§ 31.381 CHARGES AND FEES
   (A)   The city may adopt charges and fees which may include:
      (1)   Fees for reimbursement of costs of setting up and operating the city's pretreatment program;
      (2)   Fees for monitoring, inspections, and surveillance procedures;
      (3)   Fees for reviewing accidental discharge procedures and construction;
      (4)   Fees for permit applications;
      (5)   Fees for filing appeals;
      (6)   Fees for consistent removal by the POTW of excessive strength conventional pollutants;
      (7)   Other fees as the city may deem necessary to carry out the requirements contained here.
   (B)   These fees relate solely to the matters covered by this chapter and are separate from all other fees chargeable by the city. All fees and charges not specifically established will be set by the superintendent and will be based on the annual review of the cost incurred by the city to carry out the requirements contained herein.
(Ord. No. 17-91, 6-25-91)
§ 31.382 DEFINITION OF CHARGES
   (A)   Sewer service charges shall be charges levied on all users who discharge, cause or permit the discharge of sewage into the public sewage treatment system. Sewer service charges shall be comprised of a system of user charges, excessive strength surcharges and a system of charges for debt service.
   (B)   User charges shall mean charges levied on users of the sewage system to offset the cost of operations and maintenance of the system including normal replacement costs.
   (C)   Excessive strength surcharges shall mean charges levied on all wastewater users of the sewage treatment system whose wastewater contribution contains biological oxygen demand (BOD)5, suspended solids (SS) ammonia nitrogen (NH3-N), and/or total oil and grease (O&G) in concentrations which exceed limits specified herein for such pollutants and who are permitted to make such wastewater contributions to the system by decision of the sewer commission.
   (D)   Charges for debt service shall mean charges levied on users of the sewage treatment system to support the annual debt service obligations of the system.
(Ord. No. 17-91, 6-25-91)
§ 31.383 SEWER RATES
   (A)   The rates and charges for sewer service shall be based insofar as possible upon the quantity of water supplied to the respective premises as the same is measured by water meter(s) used by the utility companies supplying water to sewer customers. There shall be charged monthly to the owner or occupant of each and every lot, parcel of land, building or premises, within the corporate limits, discharging sewage, water or other liquid wastes connected with the municipal sewer system, the following rates for user charges and rates for debt service charges based upon the water meter readings or estimated water consumption as follows:
      (1)   Commodity charge:
         First 200 cubic feet (minimum bill)      $6.9000/monthly
         Over 200 cubic feet            $2.63/100 cubic feet
      (2)   Late payment charge: 10% will be added if bill is not paid by the 10th day after billing date.
      (3)   Reconnect charges: $20.00 for customers of Berea Water Utility; $40.00 for customers of Southern Madison Water District.
      (4)   Discontinuance of service for non-payment: If the account is not paid by the 20th day after the date of mailing of the monthly bill, service may be discontinued in accordance with the rules and regulations of the Berea Municipal Sewer Utility.
      (5)   Additional charges: There shall be added to the bill of each customer as a separate item an amount equal to the proportionate part of any license, franchise or similar fee or tax now or hereafter imposed upon the Berea Municipal Sewer Utility by any governmental body or entity, including but not limited to the Berea Independent School District or the Madison County School District, or similar administrative or governmental body.
   (B)   A schedule of tapping fees or connection fees or charges for each connection to the sanitary sewer system of the city is established. From and after the effective date of this chapter, the schedule of tapping fees or connection fees or charges shall be paid to the city within ninety (90) days after notice is given by the city to the owner or occupant of any premises where sanitary sewer service is made available by the city that the adjacent sanitary sewer facility is capable of receiving sewage. The schedule of tapping fees or connection fees or charges is as follows:
Tapping and Connection Charges:
Meter Size (Inches)
Maximum Flow (GPM)
Equivalent Factor
Connection Fee ($)
Tapping and Connection Charges:
Meter Size (Inches)
Maximum Flow (GPM)
Equivalent Factor
Connection Fee ($)
5/8
20
1.0
400
1
50
2.5
1,000
1-1/2
100
5.0
2,000
2
160
8.0
3,200
3
320
16.0
6,400
4
500
25.0
10,000
 
   In the event a larger, or an additional meter is installed, additional charges based on the foregoing shall be imposed and paid.
   (C)   An application shall be submitted for all new sewer line connections or extensions, along with the proposed plans for construction, for approval by the commission prior to commencement of the work thereon. The cost of construction of all sewer service lines or extensions shall also be paid by the customer applying for a new service line connection. Upon approval and immediate payment of the sewer tapping and connection fee, the sewer commission shall grant to the applicant a permit to tap or connect the service line to the existing public sewage treatment system. All construction and improvements shall be done according to the existing building codes or other applicable building codes and shall be subject to inspection and approval by the city prior to connecting to the public sewage treatment system. Sewer line extensions and service line connections constructed in, along or upon public streets, roads, alleys, or dedicated utility easements, after inspection, approval, and acceptance by the commission, shall become a part of the public sewer system of the city.
   (D)   Normal monthly billings for sewer service shall be determined on the basis of each user's metered water consumption and rates provided by subsection (A). It is recognized in the assessment of charges that not all metered water consumption is returned to the sewers. For the purpose of assessing service charges equitably, the average percentage of metered water consumption returned to the sewer is deemed to be ninety (90%) percent. Where it can be evidenced that the proportion of metered water consumption actually returned to the treatment system by an individual customer is significantly different from ninety (90%) percent, service charges shall be determined on the basis of actual wastewater discharge. In this event, the volume of wastewater discharge shall be determined by using additional water meters to segregate water consumption that is returned to the sewers and/or actual consumption that is returned to the sewers and/or actual metering of wastewater flows and/or any other procedure determined by the user and the sewer commission as a reasonable method of determining flows. The city reserves the right to require the installation of additional water meters and/or wastewater flow meters for the purpose of determining actual monthly wastewater flows.
(Ord. No. 17-91, 6-25-91; Amd. Ord. No. 18-95, 9-19-95; Amd. Ord. 20-97, 9-16-97; Amd. Ord. No. 10-08, 9-16-08; Amd. Ord. No. 17-09, 8-18-09 )
§ 31.384 SURCHARGE RATE SCHEDULE
   (A)   A sewer user may be permitted to discharge wastes to the sewage works having an average biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) concentration in excess of 250 milligrams per liter (mg/l), and/or an average suspended solids (SS) concentration in excess of 250 mg/l, and/or an average ammonia nitrogen (NH3-N) concentration in excess of 25 mg/l; and/or an average oil and grease, T(O&G) concentration in excess of 100 mg/l. In the event the sewer commission shall permit a user to discharge such wastes, the user shall pay a surcharge fee based upon the excess strength of its wastes as set out in subsection (B) below.
   (B)   The following surcharge rates shall apply monthly to each user of the sewage works that has obtained a permit from the commission to contribute excessive strength sewage.
 
Surcharge Rates
BOD (in excess of 250 mg/l)
$ .18 per pound
SS (in excess of 250 mg/l)
.18 per pound
NH3 -H (in excess of 25 mg/l)
.71 per pound
O&G ( in excess of 100 mg/l)
.25 per pound
 
(Ord. No. 17-91, 6-25-91)
§ 31.385 METHOD OF BILLING SURCHARGES
   (A)   (1)   The excessive strength surcharge shall be based on the following formula, with the total to be applied to the monthly bill of the affected users:
   [A (E-250) + B(F-250) + C(G-25) + D(H-100)] X .00624 X K = Surcharge Payment ($/Mo.)
      (2)   The formula components are as follows:
          A =   Surcharge rate for BOD, in $/pound.
          B =   Surcharge rate for SS, in $/pound.
          C =   Surcharge rate for NH3-N, in $/pound.
          D =   Surcharge rate for O&G, in $/pound.
          E =   User's average BOD concentration, in mg/l.
          F =   User's average SS concentration, in mg/l.
          G =   User's average NH 3-N concentration, in mg/l.
          H =   User's average O&G concentration, in mg/l.
          J =   User's monthly flow to sewage works, in 100 cubic ft.
   (B)   No reduction in sewage service charges, fees, or taxes shall be permitted because of the fact that certain wastes discharged to the sewage works contain less concentrations than those established as maximum in this chapter.
   (C)   Each user shall be notified, at least annually, in conjunction with a regular bill of the surcharge rate and that portion of the total charge which is attributable to operations and maintenance of the sewage system.
(Ord. No. 17-91, 6-25-91)
§ 31.386 FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT SYSTEM
   (A)   The city, through its sewer commission, shall maintain financial records to accurately account for revenues generated by the treatment system and expenditures for operation and maintenance of the system, including normal replacement costs.
   (B)   The city shall review not less often than annually the sewage contribution of users, the total cost of operation and maintenance of the sewage works, debt service obligations, and sewer service charges, Based on such review, the city shall revise, when necessary, the schedule of sewer service charges to accomplish the following:
      (1)   Maintain an adequate distribution of operations and maintenance costs among users of the treatment system, and
      (2)   Generate sufficient revenues to offset costs associated with the proper operation and maintenance of the sewage system and to meet debt service requirements.
   (C)   Excessive strength surcharges shall be reviewed at the time of and in conjunction with the review of sewer service charges. Surcharge rates shall be revised where necessary to reflect current treatment and monitoring costs.
(Ord. No. 17-91, 6-25-91)
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