The wastewater service charge for the use of and for service supplied by the wastewater facilities of the city shall consist of a basic user charge for operation and maintenance plus replacement, applicable surcharges and local capital cost charge composed of a debt service charge and a capital improvement charge.
(A) The debt service charge is computed by dividing the annual debt service of all outstanding bonds by the number of users. Through further divisions, the monthly debt service charges can be computed.
(B) The capital improvement charge is levied on all users to provide for capital improvements, extensions or reconstruction of the sewage treatment works. The capital improvement is computed by apportioning the annual amount to be accrued as a fixed charge per month.
(C) The basic user charge shall be based on water usage as recorded by water meters for wastes having the following normal domestic concentrations:
(1) A five-day 20°C biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) of 204 mg/l; and/or
(2) A suspended solids (SS) content of 240 mg/l.
(D) It shall consists of operation and maintenance costs plus replacement and shall be computed as follows:
(1) Estimate wastewater volume, pounds of SS and pounds of BOD to be treated;
(2) Estimate the projected annual revenue required to operate and maintain the wastewater facilities including a replacement fund for the year, for all work categories;
(3) Proportion the estimated OM&R costs to each user class by volume, suspended solids and BOD;
(4) Proportion the estimated operation, maintenance and replacement (OM&R) costs to wastewater facility categories by volume, suspended solids and BOD;
(5) Compute costs per 1,000 gallons for normal sewage strength; and
(6) Compute surcharge costs per pound per 1,000 gallons in excess of normal sewage strength for BOD and SS.
(E) A surcharge will be levied to all users whose waste waters exceed the normal domestic concentrations of BOD 204 mg/l and SS 240 mg/l. The surcharge will be based on water usage as recorded by water meters for all wastes which exceed the 204 mg/l and 240 mg/l concentration for BOD and SS respectively. Section 54.55 specifies the procedure to compute a surcharge.
(F) The adequacy of the wastewater service charge shall be reviewed, not less often than annually, by certified public accountants for the city in their annual audit report. The wastewater service charge shall be revised periodically to reflect a change in local capital costs or a change in operation and maintenance costs including replacement costs.
(G) The users of wastewater treatment services will be notified annually, in conjunction with a regular bill, of the rate and that portion of the user charges which are attributable to the wastewater treatment operation, maintenance and replacement.
(1999 Code, § 38-4-20) (Ord. 13-89, passed 7-11-1989)