The terms and conditions on which owners of lots and lands within the corporate limits of the city may connect to the sanitary sewage system, whether directly or indirectly, shall be as follows.
(A) A sewer charge is hereby established for the use of the city sewer system. The sewer service charge shall contain two components:
(1) A user charge to cover the cost of operation, maintenance, and replacement of the sewage system; and
(2) A capital charge to recover the cost of capital improvements to the sewer system.
(B) The sewer service charge shall be assessed to each user of the system based on the water consumption of the particular use.
(C) (1) (a) The minimum monthly sanitary sewer charge will be from zero cubic feet to 133 cubic feet of water usage, regardless of the amount of water metered, and shall be according to the following schedule:
(b) As of the September 1 billing, for sewer usage the previous month, in each of the following years:
Year 2012 | $26.69 |
Year 2013 | $28.03 |
Year 2014 | $29.01 |
Year 2015 | $30.02 |
Year 2016 | $31.07, and same rate thereafter unless amended by Council |
(2) (a) The monthly sanitary sewer rate for each additional 100 cubic feet of water metered above the first 133 cubic feet for all customers within the city limits shall be according to the following schedule:
(b) As of the September 1 billing, for sewer usage the previous month, per 100 cubic feet above the minimum usage of 133 cubic feet, in each of the following years:
Year 2012 | $7.16 |
Year 2013 | $7.51 |
Year 2014 | $7.73 |
Year 2015 | $8.05 |
Year 2016 | $8.33, and same rate thereafter unless amended by Council |
(3) The Auditor may adjust the exact effective dates of the application of this section in order to effect its purpose of collecting revenues for sewer on the schedule proposed herein.
(D) All customers located outside the city limits shall pay a rate of 150% of the amounts specified in division (C) of this section.
(E) Charges shall be paid at the utility billing office and shall be based on the water consumption for the particular user to which the city does extend water service as determined during each calendar month by the water readings of the utility billing office.
(F) (1) An audit of the sewer service charges and the revenue generated therefrom shall be performed annually to determine that sufficient revenue is generated to cover the cost of operation, maintenance, and replacement of the sewer system.
(2) The Auditor shall designate:
(a) Forty and one-half percent of the first $8 of the minimum charge as and for sewer plant upgrade debt retirement;
(b) Thirty-four and one-half percent of the first $8 of the minimum charge as and for sewage improvement and repair expenses; and
(c) The balance of the first $8, being 25% of the minimum charge, as and for storm sewer improvement and repair expenses.
(3) The City Auditor is authorized and directed to establish a fund wherein proceeds for storm sewer improvement and repair shall be deposited.
(G) Any customer may appeal the amount of his or her sewer bill to the Utilities Committee of Council within 30 days of issuance of same. The decision of the Committee is final.
(H) The Safety and Service Director is authorized to make exceptions in cases where special conditions exist, and water metered is not entirely discharged through the sanitary sewers. The Director is further authorized to make special rates in exceptional cases not herein specifically mentioned, but in no case shall rates be lower than the minimum rate specified in this section.
(I) Sewer usage charges will be mailed to customers by the first day of the month, U.S. postage pre-paid. Payments for sewer charges are due on the fifteenth day of the month (the “due date”) without penalty.
(J) If the city utility billing office does not receive payment by the close of business on the sixteenth day of the month, then the account will be delinquent. If a delinquent account is not paid, a penalty bill will be sent by U.S. mail, postage pre-paid. The penalty bill will state the shut-off date for non-payment. If the penalty bill plus any service charges is not paid by the fifth day of the following month, then a shut-off notice (“final notice”) will be hand delivered by utility billing department staff to the service address.
(K) The city may disconnect water or sewer service on delinquent accounts any time after the close of business on the fifth day of the following month.
(L) Water or sewer service shall not be reconnected until the delinquent amount, together with penalties and fees herein provided, is paid in full, including advance payment of a disconnect and reconnect fee of $60 and, if applicable, an after-hours fee as approved by the Safety and Service Director.
(1982 Code, § 50.25) (Ord. 1941-5, passed 2-17-1941; Ord. 74-15, passed 7-1-1974; Ord. 79-5, passed 4-2-1979; Ord. 1980-36, passed 11-3-1980; Ord. 1987-7, passed 5-4-1987; Ord. 1987-31, passed 12-24-1987; Ord. 1989-12, passed 6-5-1989; Ord. 1991-2, passed 2-4-1991; Ord. 1993-9, passed 8-2-1993; Ord. 2002-13, passed 12-2-2002; Ord. 2004-27, passed 11-15-2004; Ord. 2007-8, passed 3-12-2007; Ord. 2008-4, passed 6-9-2008; Ord. 2011-5, passed 9-12-2011; Ord. 2013-2, passed 2-11-2013; Ord. 2017-01, passed 1-9-2017; Ord. 2017-03, passed 3-13-2017)