A. User charges and fees. All properties receiving sewer service, whether in or outside the city limits, shall be required to pay all sewer rates, user charges, fees, and capacity or development fees as adopted from time to time by the city. Properties outside the city limits shall also be required to pay any additional fees as set forth in their Wastewater Service Agreement; in no event shall sewer service be provided to properties outside the city limits at rates and fees less than those inside the city. The City Council, pursuant to Chapter 3.20, is hereby authorized to impose a user charge system for the calculation of sewer user charges. These charges shall be revised on a regular basis consistent with the adopted sewer user charge system per Chapter 3.20. Sewer user charges shall apply to all property/facilities connected to the sewer. For those properties located within the ban areas sewer user charges shall be due upon connection to sewer.
B. Minimum monthly charges. In order to protect the investment made by the city to serve all customers, regardless of water use/sewer flows, a minimum monthly sewer charge is charged to all sewer system customers as long as there is active water service to the premises. Sewer system customers for this purpose are defined as all customers physically connected to the system. The minimum charge shall be based on the formula adopted pursuant to the provisions of Chapter 3.20 and shall be revised on a regular basis.
C. Treatment capacity fees.
1. Imposition of a treatment capacity fee. A treatment capacity fee is hereby imposed upon all facilities making use of the city sewer system. This fee is based upon the projected cost of wastewater treatment facilities, capacity associated with those facilities and the number of equivalent residential units to be served by these facilities.
a. This fee shall be reviewed on a regular basis and be adopted pursuant to the provision of Chapter 3.20.
b. For the purposes of determining the treatment capacity fee all R1 Single- Family Residential properties shall be treated as 1 equivalent residential unit (ERU), regardless of the water meter size.
2. Extended payment provisions. Certain customers will be permitted the option of paying the treatment capacity fee over a time period as approved in writing by the City Manager and the Director.
3. Payment. Payment of all fees shall be made for:
a. Existing developed properties within the city:
i. Upon connection to the system; or
ii. Within the 14-day notice period set forth in § 4.12.030.
b. Undeveloped properties within the city limits: no later than the time of building permit issuance.
c. All properties outside the city limits: as set forth in a wastewater service agreement approved by the City Council but in any event, prior to the acquisition of a building permit.
4. Exception. For those properties located within the ban areas the connection capacity fee shall be due in full at the time of application for a permit for connection to the sewer system. The property owner shall also be responsible for all permits, fees, and construction costs (except for cost of sewer lateral from sewer main to property line arising from connection to the sewer and abandonment of the denitrifying system).
D. Effluent charges. All properties receiving effluent shall be required to pay for fees as adopted from time to time by the City Council, pursuant to Chapter 3.20, or pursuant to a Reclaimed Water Agreement.
(Ord. 24-1330, § 1, passed 4-23-2024)