For the use of and the services rendered by the sewage 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’s sewage system or otherwise discharges sanitary sewage, industrial wastes, water or other liquids, either directly or indirectly, into the sanitary sewage system of the Town. Rates and charges include user charges, debt service costs, excessive strength surcharges, outside Town surcharges and other service charges, which rates and charges shall be payable as provided in this chapter and shall be in an amount determinable as follows:
(A) Metered water users. The sewage 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 same is measured by the water meter there in use, plus a base charge based on the size of the water meter installed, except as herein otherwise provided. For the purpose of billing and collecting the charges for sewage service, the water meters shall be read monthly and the users shall be billed each month (or period equaling a month). Users located outside of the corporate limits of the Town shall be subject to an additional surcharge as set forth below. The water usage schedule on which the amount of the rates and charges shall be determined is as follows for all users:
(1) Treatment rate per one thousand (1,000) gallons of usage per month:
Total Treatment Rate
$6.28 plus the base rate
(2) Base rate per month, as follows:
Base Rate (water meter size in inches) | User Charge | Outside Town Surcharge | Total Base Rate | % Difference Between Inside Town and Outside Town (based on monthly base charge and zero (0) gallons of use) | |
Inside Town | Outside Town | ||||
Base Rate (water meter size in inches) | User Charge | Outside Town Surcharge | Total Base Rate | % Difference Between Inside Town and Outside Town (based on monthly base charge and zero (0) gallons of use) | |
Inside Town | Outside Town | ||||
5/8 - 3/4 | $12.47 | $6.72 | $12.47 | $19.19 | 53.47% |
1 | 28.53 | 16.62 | 28.53 | 45.15 | 58.32% |
1¼ | 44.39 | 26.66 | 44.39 | 71.05 | 60.11% |
1½ | 63.58 | 38.73 | 63.58 | 102.31 | 60.87% |
2 | 108.37 | 66.81 | 108.37 | 175.18 | 61.65% |
3 | 246.89 | 153.78 | 246.89 | 400.67 | 62.26% |
4 | 428.09 | 267.19 | 428.09 | 695.28 | 62.42% |
6 | 971.42 | 607.97 | 971.42 | 1,579.39 | 62.58% |
8 | 1,728.11 | 1,081.26 | 1,728.11 | 2,809.37 | 62.61% |
(B) Unmetered water users.
(1) For users of the sewage works that are unmetered water users or where accurate meter readings are not available, the monthly charge shall be determined as an average of single-family dwelling units, except as herein provided. Sewage service bills shall be rendered once each month (or period equaling a month). The schedule on which rates and charges shall be determined is as follows:
Outside Town Surcharge | Total Monthly Rate | ||
Inside Town | Outside Town | ||
Residential: Single-family residence/unit | $6.66 | $46.21 | $52.87 |
(2) Unmetered nonresidential single-family dwelling units shall be charged a rate to be determined by the Town, on an individual basis, by applying the above metered rates to estimated usage, meter size and user location.
(C) For the service rendered to the Town, the Town shall be subject to the same rates and charges hereinabove provided, or to charges and rates established in harmony therewith.
(D) In order to recover the cost of monitoring industrial wastes, the Town shall charge the user the actual cost of monitoring; but not less than twenty-five dollars ($25) per sampling event. This charge will be reviewed on the same basis as all other rates and charges in this chapter.
(E) In order that the rates and charges may be justly and equitably adjusted to the service rendered to users, the Town shall base its charges not only on the volume, but also on strength and character of stronger-than-normal domestic sewage, and shall require the user to determine the strength and content of all sewage and wastes discharged, either directly or indirectly, into the sewage system, in such manner and by such method as the Town may deem practicable in the light of the conditions and attending circumstances of the case, in order to determine the proper charge. The user shall furnish a sampling point, as defined in the sewer use ordinance, available to the Town at all times.
(1) Normal sewage domestic waste strength should not exceed a biochemical oxygen demand of two hundred (200) milligrams per liter of fluid or suspended solids in excess of two hundred (200) milligrams per liter of fluid. Additional charges for treating stronger-than-normal domestic waste shall be made on the following basis:
(a) Rate surcharge based upon suspended solids. There shall be an additional charge of forty-seven cents ($0.47) per pound of suspended solids for suspended solids in excess of two hundred (200) milligrams per liter of fluid.
(b) Rate surcharge based upon BOD. There shall be an additional charge of forty-seven cents ($0.47) per pound of biochemical oxygen demand for BOD received in excess of two hundred (200) milligrams per liter of fluid.
(2) The determination of suspended solids and five-day (5-day) biochemical oxygen demand contained in the waste shall be in accordance with the current edition of Standard Methods for the Examination of Water, Sewage and Industrial Wastes, as written by the American Public Health Association, the American Water Works Association and the Water Pollution Control Federation.
(F) For current monthly bills rendered in the months of June, July, August, and September to metered water users with 5/8 inch or 3/4 inch meters, the sewage rates and charges shall be the base rate amount plus the treatment rate applied to the lesser of either: (1) the quantity of water used on or in the property or premises as measured by the water meter there in the use; or (2) the average monthly quantity of water usage on which the sewage rates and charges to that same customer for that same premises were determined in the monthly bills rendered the immediately prior April, November, and October. If the customer does not have a billing history for that same premises going back to a bill rendered the prior October on the basis of a full month's water usage, then the sewage rates and charges for bills rendered in the months of June, July, August, and September shall be the basic rate amount plus the treatment rate applied to the quantity of water used on or in the property or premises as measured by the water meter there in use.
(G) Annual COLA increase. Subject to annual review by the Town Council, on January 1, 2022 and on January 1 of each year, beginning in 2023, a 1% cost of living adjustment ("COLA") shall be added to the previous year's rates and charges for all customers. This 1% increase shall occur automatically each year, subject to the Town Council's annual review in July of each year, unless and until such time that the Town Council amends or adjusts the percentage increase for the next calendar year or otherwise amends this division, which may include but not be limited to an additional annual increase as determined by the Town Council.
(`92 Code, §9-62) (Ord. 84-14, passed 11-20-84; Am. Ord. 85-21, passed 11-25-85; Am. Ord. 98-29, passed 11-30-98; Am. Ord. 2009-07, passed 5-28-09; Am. Ord. 2011-06, passed 3-24-11; Am. Ord. 2016-35, passed 11-10-16; Am. Ord. 2020-25, passed 12-17-20; Am. Ord. 2021-46, passed 12-16-21)