The rates for the comprehensive sewer service charges shall be as follows:
A. For Basic User Charge. The basic user charge shall be based on the quantity of flow estimated or actual flow of wastewater recorded by meters. The unit charge for wastewater measured in one hundred (100) cubic feet shall be computed as follows:
1. Unit Cost: The unit cost per one hundred (100) cubic feet shall be determined by dividing the anticipated budget for operation and maintenance of the wastewater treatment plant and the sanitary sewer system including debt service and anticipated, current year capital improvements by the estimated quantity of flow billed to all users of the sanitary sewer system.
B. For Surcharge: The surcharge for the O&M cost of the wastewater treatment plant shall be collected from those users who contribute wastes which strengths are greater than domestic wastewater. These users shall be sampled, and the sample analyzed at least once per month.
1. Monthly Excess BOD: The monthly excess BOD, expressed in milligrams per liter, shall be calculated by subtracting the BOD of domestic wastewater (two hundred fifty (250) milligrams per liter) from the monthly average BOD of a user. If the value is less than zero, zero shall be used to compute the average of excess BOD.
2. BOD Surcharge Amount: The surcharge for BOD shall be calculated by multiplying the excess BOD value by the unit BOD cost per pound.
3. Monthly Excess SS: The monthly excess SS, expressed in milligrams per liter, shall be calculated by subtracting the SS of domestic wastewater (300 milligrams per liter) from the monthly average SS of a user. If the value is less than zero, zero shall be used to compute the average of excess SS.
4. SS Surcharge Amount: The surcharge for SS shall be calculated by multiplying the excess SS value by the unit SS cost per pound. The total surcharge shall then be a summation of the surcharge for BOD and the surcharge for SS.
C. Customer Charge:
1. The cost of determining the amount due from each user and the collecting of same shall be borne by the user. Each user shall be billed on a regular basis, i.e., monthly or quarterly, for the amount of the comprehensive sewer service charges.
2. Each regular bill shall be increased by a charge to defray the cost of computing and mailing the bill. The cost per bill will be determined by dividing the anticipated budget by the total number of bills mailed to the users.
D. Measurement By Meters: Such rates or charges shall be based upon the amount of water supplied by the Iowa-American Water Company, as shown by the water meter readings of that company.
E. Special Rates; Grounds; Approval:
1. Where in the judgment of the council, special conditions surround the use of water to the extent that the application of the comprehensive sewer user charge or method of measurement would be inequitable or unfair to either the city or the user, a special rate or method of measurement shall be established by the city. Such rates or methods of measurement shall be subject to approval by resolution of the council. In such cases, the city council may require that water consumed on the premises concerned shall be separately metered at the expense of the user, who shall also pay the cost of computing the sewer service credit and administration of the program resulting therefrom.
2. In such cases where a major portion of the water consumed by a single-family residential user is not discharged into or does not reach the sanitary sewer system, the following shall apply:
a. Such water so consumed shall be metered by a separate water meter installed at the expense of the owner. To receive a sewer service credit, water usage from a separate meter shall be read by the user and reported to the City's Finance Department no later than December 1 of each year. Water metering systems existing prior to May 18, 1976 that conflict with this section may be retained. Replacement systems for those existing prior to May 18, 1976 shall be brought into compliance with the provisions herein. Any system installed after May 18, 1976 shall be in compliance with this section. Installation of the water metering system must be in accord with the plumbing code. Application for a separate water meter shall be made to the Bettendorf building division.
b. The fee for initial inspection upon installation of a separate water meter shall be one hundred dollars ($100.00). This fee shall cover all costs associated with inspection of the installation plus computing the sewer service credit for the first year. After the first reading, the annual fee for computing the sewer service credit and administering the program shall be deducted from the credit. The annual fee for computing the sewer service credit and administering the program after the first reading shall be: One hundred dollars ($100.00).
c. Participation in the program shall be terminated if, during any year, the fee for computing the sewer service credit and administering the program should equal or exceed the resulting credit total. Under this condition, a notice of termination shall be sent to the customer by ordinary mail. Such termination shall become null and void if a reinstatement is made to the city clerk's office within thirty (30) days of the date of the letter and the city is reimbursed for the difference between the fee and the charge for the water used. Thereafter, anyone terminated from the program may be reinstated by making reapplication to the Bettendorf building division and conforming to the following conditions:
(1) The existing or proposed water metering system shall be made to conform with subsection E2a of this section for installations completed after May 18, 1976.
(2) The fees as set forth in subsection E2b of this section have been paid. Anyone requesting a special reading shall be charged a special reading fee of thirty dollars ($30.00). A special reading is any requested reading which is not the initial reading. Such fee shall be payable in advance and shall not be deducted from the credit.
F. Replacement Component, Calculation; Use: The replacement component shall be fifteen percent (15%) of the operation and maintenance (O&M) budget approved for the wastewater treatment plant in each fiscal year. The replacement component shall be calculated in each fiscal year and shall be added to the total O&M budget for the wastewater treatment plant for such year. Any portion of a replacement component which has not been used in a fiscal year shall not lapse, but shall be retained together with any interest accrued thereon; shall be carried forward and combined with any unused portion of any other replacement component for the current fiscal year, to be used to replace equipment at the wastewater treatment plant. A replacement component and any unused portion of a prior replacement component, plus any interest thereon, which has been carried forward as herein provided, shall be used only to replace equipment at the wastewater treatment plant. The O&M budget for the wastewater treatment plant plus the replacement component for the current fiscal year shall be used as the anticipated budget for calculating comprehensive sewer service charges for the use of the wastewater treatment plant.
G. Date Due, Penalty: All comprehensive sewer service charges are due and payable thirty (30) days following the date of billing. When a bill becomes past due, a late charge equal to ten percent (10%) of the comprehensive sewer service charge shall be added to the original bill and a new bill shall be mailed to the user. The revised bill is due and payable fifteen (15) days following the date the first bill became due and payable.
H. Rate Charged:
1. Effective April 1, 2023, the comprehensive sewer service charge, as provided in this section, to be paid by the users of the wastewater treatment facilities of the city and billed beginning April 1, 2023, is hereby established as three dollars and eighty-four cents ($3.84) per one hundred (100) cubic feet of metered water usage plus a six dollar ($6.00) quarterly handling charge per billing.
2. The comprehensive sewer service charges for residential users connected to the sanitary sewer but who do not receive water through a metered service of the Iowa-American Water Company shall be billed by the city clerk to each dwelling unit user every three (3) months and is hereby established as ninety-one dollars and twenty cents ($91.20) plus a six dollar ($6.00) handling charge per billing for a total cost of ninety-seven dollars and twenty cents ($97.20) every three (3) months beginning with bills mailed April 1, 2023. (Ord. 05-16, 3-15-2016; amd. Ord. 06-19, 3-19-2019; Ord. 03-20, 3-17-2020; Ord. 06-21, 3-16-2021; Ord. 12-21, 7-6-2021; Ord. 04-22, 3-15-2022; Ord. 10-22; 7-5-2022; Ord. 06-23, 2-7-2023; Ord. 09-23, 3-21-2023; Ord. 09-23, 3-21-2023)