(A) Definitions. For the purpose of this section, the following definitions shall apply unless the context clearly indicates or requires a different meaning.
AVERAGE DAILY FLOW (ADF). As defined by 327 I.A.C. 3-6-11, which is the flow rate requirements for collection systems and water pollution treatment/control facilities.
CITY. The City of Charlestown, Indiana, or representatives acting on its behalf.
COLLECTOR SEWER. A sanitary sewer of minimum eight inches in diameter which receives sanitary sewage or wastewater from the individual service lateral sewers.
COUNCIL. The Common Council of the city or any duly authorized officials acting on its behalf.
DESIGN OCCUPANT LOAD. The number of persons that are intended to occupy a building, or portion thereof, at any one time, based on the facility’s intended use. The DESIGN OCCUPANT LOAD shall comply with the most current standards of the state’s Building Code, 675 I.A.C.
EQUIVALENT DWELLING UNIT (EDU). The equivalent of the sanitary sewage flow produced by a single-family residence served by a single service lateral discharging a base flow; that being established as 310 gallons of wastewater per day.
FLOW CALCULATION FACTOR (FCF). The recommended minimum daily sewerage production per occupant unit, per occupant type, the same definition as defined in Table 11-1 of 327 I.A.C. 3-6-11.
MAY. An act that is permissive.
PERSON. Any persons or entities, including any individual, firm, company, municipal or private corporation, limited liability company, association, society, institution, enterprise, governmental agency or other legal entity.
SERVICE LATERAL SEWER. The branch from the collector sewer to the residence or equivalent unit for the purposes of conveying sewage or wastewater to the collection system for disposal.
SEWER CAPACITY FEE. The payment required to be paid by a customer of the utility for the purpose of allowing the utility to maintain and/or replace the capacity of the sanitary sewer collection system and wastewater treatment facility anticipated to be used by the customer. This charge applies to all customers, including but not limited to each single-family residence, multi-residential structures and commercial, industrial or government customers of the utility.
SHALL. An act that is mandatory.
(B) Sewer capacity fee. Beginning on the effective date of this chapter, prior to the issuance of a preliminary plat, final plat or building permit for any new structure, renovated structure, structure that is being used in a different manner, or developments, a sewer capacity fee of $2,100 per equivalent dwelling unit (EDU) shall be levied against a user connecting to the city’s sewage works as follows. Likewise, if a structure is not altered, but will be put to a different use which is anticipated to cause an increase in the wastewater discharge to the utility, a sewer capacity fee will be required, as described hereafter in this chapter.
(1) Calculation of EDU.
(a) Single-family residence. A single-family residential connection shall equal one EDU, which is established at 310 GPD.
(b) Uses other than single-family residential users. All other utility customers making new connections or changing the use of the structures served by the utility shall pay a sewer capacity fee based on the equivalent EDU or, in the case of changes, the anticipated increase in EDUs. The number of equivalent EDUs shall be calculated by dividing the average daily flow (ADF) by 310 GPD, as described in division (B)(2) below. The ADF shall be calculated by multiplying the flow calculation factor(s) (FCF) by the design occupant load (see division (E) below).
(c) Changes of use. If the use to which a structure with an existing utility connection changes, such that the ADF is likely to increase, or does increase, the owner is required to pay an additional sewer capacity fee in an amount equal to the difference in ADF between the previous use and the intended (or changed) use, prior to the time that the new use begins. Any person that intends to change the use of such a structure, or who does change the use of such a structure, shall promptly notify the utility’s billing office, in writing, on a form provided by the utility’s billing office, of the intended change of use. Failure to provide such written notice is a violation of this chapter.
(2) Calculation of sewer capacity fee.
(a) The sewer capacity fee shall be calculated as follows:
Capacity fee = number of EDUs x $2,100 |
(b) Final determination of sewer capacity fees for structures other than single-family residential structures shall only be made after details of the structure’s proposed use, area (footprint) and design occupant load have been determined and submitted to the city for review (also see division (E) below).
(3) Installment payments for proposed multi-structures. The capacity fee associated with a new multi-lot or multi-structure development within the utility’s service area may be paid in installments as follows.
(a) For proposed developments/projects in which the person wants to reserve capacity for the entire proposed development/project, the person shall pay one-sixth of the capacity fee attributable to the overall project or development at the time of the approval of the preliminary plat or development plan. The person shall pay another one-sixth of the capacity fee upon approval of the final plat or development plan (for a total of one-third of the total capacity fee for the EDUs attributable to the final plat or development plan of the property). The city will, upon such payment, certify capacity for those EDUs included in the final plat or development plant. The person shall pay the remaining two-thirds of the capacity fee at the time the building permit is applied for and issued for each lot or property contained in the final plat or development plan.
(b) For proposed developments/projects in which the person does not want to reserve capacity, the person shall pay one-third of the total capacity fee for the EDUs attributable to the final plat or development plan of the property. The city will not certify capacity for the EDUs not included in the final plat but included in the preliminary plat. The builder shall pay the remaining two-thirds of the capacity fee at the time the building permit is applied for and issued for the property contained in the final plat.
(4) Previously approved projects. Where an individual connection to the sewer system permitted prior to the effective date of this chapter is requested, the person requesting the connection shall pay the entire capacity fee at the time the connection permit is requested and the permit is issued.
(5) Previously paid fees. If a tap-in fee or capacity fee has previously been paid, that tap-in permit shall be honored for a period of ten years from the original date of payment. If not used within that time, the tap-in permit will expire.
(6) Refunds; transfers. In all cases, tap-in fees and capacity fees are non-refundable and non-transferrable and shall remain with the property or improvement for which it was issued and applied.
(7) Abandonment. In the event that a structure that has previously tapped into the utility ceases to produce sanitary sewage flow and pay a usage fee to the utility for a period of more than six months, before that structure is allowed to discharge sanitary sewage to the utility the owner of the structure shall pay an additional sewer capacity fee.
(C) Sewer tap inspection fee. In addition to the capacity fee, a separate sewer tap inspection fee of $30 shall be paid by all customers connecting to the city’s sewage works, for each tap. The sewer tap inspection fee shall be paid prior to making the lateral connection to the city’s sanitary sewer facilities.
(D) Sewer disconnect/reconnect fee.
(1) When water service is turned off for non-payment of bill, or whenever for any reason beyond the control of the Wastewater Department a re-establishment of service is required by any one customer, a service charge fee of $70 will be charged by the Wastewater Department to cover the cost of discontinuance and re-establishment of service.
(2) The fee, together with any arrears due to the Wastewater Department, shall be paid by customer before service will be re-established.
(E) Charges. The charge for connections other than single-family residential connections shall be computed by establishing the total gallonage flow rate per day for the connection by dividing the total by 310 GPD (one EDU) and multiplying the quotient by the amount of the residential sewer connection. GPD/SF shall be equal to gallon per day per square foot as noted below:
Type of Facility | Flow |
Type of Facility | Flow |
Airports (per employee) | 20 GPD |
Banks and financial institutions | 0.3 GPD/sf |
Bars, cocktail lounges | 0.35 GPD |
Camps | |
Per toilet | 400 GPD |
Showers | 300 GPD |
Churches with kitchen, per sanctuary seat or equivalency in case of benches | 5 GPD |
Day care center | 0.25 GPD/sf |
Dental offices | |
Chair(s) | 200 GPD |
Employees | 75 GPD |
Doctor’s office | |
Doctors/nurses | 75 GPD |
Support staff | 20 GPD |
Duplexes, condos, townhouses and apartments with washer hookups | |
1 bedroom | 200 GPD |
2 bedroom | 260 GPD |
3 bedroom | 310 GPD |
Duplexes, condos, townhouses and apartments without washer hookups | |
1 bedroom | 120 GPD |
2 bedroom | 150 GPD |
3 bedroom | 300 GPD |
Grocery stores | 0.2 GPD/sf |
Grocery stores with grinder facilities | 0.35 GPD/sf |
Health clubs, beauty and barber shops and the like | 0.3 GPD/sf |
Institutions: Nursing homes, hospitals and the like (per bed) | 200 GPD |
Kennels and vet clinics | |
Cages, per cage | 5 GPD |
Inside runs, per run | 10 GPD |
Outside runs, per run | 20 GPD |
Surgery plus, per room | 50 GPD |
Staff | |
Doctor | 75 GPD |
Staff | 20 GPD |
Laundry, per washing machine | 110 GPD |
Manufacturing | |
0-4,999 square feet | 0.20 GPD/sf |
Add to base 5,000 square feet | |
5,000-24,999 square feet | 0.50 GPD/sf |
25,000-99,999 square feet | 0.015 GPD/sf |
100,000-499,999 square feet | 0.0125 GPD/sf |
500,000-999,999 square feet | 0.01 GPD/sf |
Mobile home parks (per space) | 310 GPD |
Motels and hotels, per room | 100 GPD |
Offices | |
0-4,999 square feet | 0.3 GPD/sf |
Add to base 5,000 square feet | |
5,000-9,999 square feet | 0.25 GPD/sf |
10,000 and over | 0.2 GPD/sf |
Picnic areas or parks | |
Club houses, community houses and the like | 0.35 GPD/sf |
Per toilet | 400 GPD |
Showers | 300 GPD |
Washing facilities | 5 GPD |
Restaurants, cafeterias and the like, per square foot | 0.35 GPD |
Retail establishments | 0.2 GPD/sf |
Self-service car wash | 650 GPD/bay |
Schools (with gym and shower) per student | 25 GPD |
Schools (without gym and showers) per student | 15 GPD |
Service stations (with car wash) | |
(all improvements except washing bay) 0.25 GSFPD plus | 650 GPD/bay |
Service stations (without car wash) | 0.25 GPD/sf |
Service stations, garages, mechanics, repair establishments | 0.25 GPD/sf |
Theaters, drive-ins, per parking ramp | 7 GPD |
Theaters, indoor, per seat | 4 GPD |
Warehousing | |
0-4,999 square feet | 0.1 GPD/sf |
Add to base 5,000 square feet | |
5,000-9,999 square feet | 0.05 GPD/sf |
10,000-24,999 square feet | 0.015 GPD/sf |
25,000-99,999 square feet | 0.0125 GPD/sf |
100,000-499,999 square feet | 0.01 GPD/sf |
500,000-999,999 square feet | 0.0005 GPD/sf |
Washing facilities | 5 GPD |
(Ord. 2018-OR-11, passed 4-2-2018; Ord. 2020-OR-18, passed 8-3-2020)