The sewer service charge system and Sewer Service Fund shall be administrated according to the following provisions.
(A) The city’s Clerk-Administrator shall maintain a proper system of accounts suitable for determining the operation and maintenance, equipment replacement and debt retirement costs of the treatment works, and shall furnish the City Council with a report of the costs annually in December. The City Council shall annually determine whether or not sufficient revenue is being generated for the effective operation, maintenance, replacement and management of the treatment works, and whether sufficient revenue is being generated for debt retirement. The Council will also determine whether the user charges are distributed proportionately to each user in accordance with § 51.098(B) of this chapter and § 204(b)(2)(A) of the Act, being 33 U.S.C. § 1284(b)(2)(A), as amended. The city shall thereafter, but not later than the end of the year, reassess and as necessary revise the sewer service charge system then in use to ensure the proportionality of the user charges and to ensure the sufficiency of funds to maintain the capacity and performance to which the facilities were constructed and to retire the construction debt.
(B) In accordance with federal and state requirements, each user will be notified annually in conjunction with a regular billing of that portion of the sewer service charge attributable to operation, maintenance and replacement.
(C) In accordance with federal and state requirements, the city’s Clerk-Administrator shall be responsible for maintaining all records necessary to document compliance with the sewer service charge system adopted.
(D) Bills for sewer service charges shall be rendered on a monthly basis succeeding the period for which the service was rendered. Sewer billing shall follow the same water billing procedures established in § 50.49. Disconnection of services for late payment shall follow the procedures established in § 51.102 of this chapter.
(E) All accounts shall be carried in the name of the property owner who personally, or by his or her authorized agent, applied for such service. A property owner shall be liable for all utility services supplied to the property by the City, whether or not he or she occupies the property. Any unpaid charges shall be a lien upon the property in the form of a special assessment. All bills and notices shall be mailed to the property owner. For rental properties, a copy of the bill can be mailed to the address where service is provided at the property owner’s request.
(F) Any additional costs caused by discharges to the treatment works of toxics or other incompatible wastes, including the cost of restoring wastewater treatment services, clean up and restoration of the receiving waters and environs, and sludge disposal, shall be borne by the discharger of the wastes, at no expense to the city.
(Prior Code, § 51.116) (Ord. 03-2023, passed 5-9-2023)